Fade to black
by NarcissaBellatrixMalfoy
Summary: Chapuys is accused of plotting the murder of the Queen and the King's only son, he is about to be sentenced to death but what if something goes terribly wrong with the sentence? A map that guides him to a treassure he vows to use his fortuen for revenge.
1. Prologue

********

****

____

_A/N: Thanks again to all my reviewers_

_This came on an old idea that I had when I was in my first year of college. Count of Monte Cristo subplot with the tudors omg what do we get!_

This:

* * *

**Tower of London**

September 18th, 1536

Two days away from execution

* * *

Chapuys was waiting for his execution. The King ha accused him of adultery and conspiracy for plotting against the Queen, the concubine his mind whispered. No matter what popular opinion was in this land of demons, he would never acknowledge that concubine as Queen. They could rack him, torture him and still he would not acknowledge her, he told himself fervently.

Brereton was the worst person he could trust. He had failed more than once to kill the concubine, and now because of him Chapuys was here stuck in the Tower of London awaiting his sentence.

The King would no doubt sentence him to death, he would not be given a fair trial. If he was to die what would happen to that sweet lady, his Princess, Mary, the true heir of England? She should be the one enjoying the titles of Princess and getting her father's attention not that bastard brat "Lady" Elizabeth. Lady, that was putting lightly. He snorted. Only because his lady had fallen prey under the little girl's spell he would not refer to her as simple Mistress Elizabeth Tudor. For all he knew the girl could be the product of the many affairs of Anne Boleyn. Rumor had it she was really Henry Norris' daughter, he would not be surprised if that were the case.

Chapuys began to pace back and forth in his cell. How had he ended this way? He had meant to poison Anne Boleyn to terminate her pregnancy, but alas Brereton had to fail and worse he got caught and he told Chapuys was his conspirator.

Anne Boleyn not only not lose her child, she had carried it to term so now she had a son, a Prince of Wales, and the true Princess? Nobody was doing nothing for her, the Emperor preferring to shed no blood and because he wanted an English alliance against the French influenced the Pope Paul III to declare the King's marriage valid making his previous one invalid -that made Princess Mary now nothing more than Lady Mary. He considered it unfair, it was the work of the devil, his master had to be under the devil's influence, it was all that woman's fault, if it hadn't been for her none of this would have happened!

Chapuys shrunk as he finally sat down. There was only one bed and next to it one chair and one desk, all very uncomfortable to what he was used to. As he began writing his last will, something in him snapped, what if he could buy his way out of this one ... no, now he was becoming dellusional. There was no way in hell he would escape death this time, he had not been smart or witty enough to outsmart the Boleyns or the cunning Cromwell. Alas, he had been getting old and weary.

Finding nothing useful to do but write, when he finished he realized what was on paper. It all seemed as gibberish at first but the closer he looked he realized he had written about his lady, the true Princess Mary. It was about everything he knew of her, what perfume she used, what were her favorite roses, her favorite cakes and her favorite books ...all about her. He was supposed to have done an epitaph and yet he had wasted his lost bottle of ink writing about her -what a waste of time.

He went back to his bed, he could feel the light of the moon shine on him, the stars hovering above. He hated the sky, he hated everything in general.

Closing his eyes he made a wish, not hiding his selfish nature he wished that he could take all of this back and God forgive him he wished for nothing more than revenge, to avenge his lady, to avenge Katherine of Aragon but to take revenge on everyone that had forsaken, unknowingly for him his wish had been another one's command.


	2. Prison

**A/N: These next five chapters will start with parts of the song Walk Away by Five finger death punch and I suggest you hear at the song every time you read these chapter that way you will feel more on the emotions and the inner turmoil of Chapuys as he is in jail and finally escapes.**

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and to Dani thanks for recommending my story and to Artemic I don't know Mexico will do this friday but good luck to Argentina as for all of you whose countries are participating in the world cup.**

**~Marcela Narcissa **

* * *

"_I am sorry for the demon I have become_

_You should be sorry for the angel you are not_

_I apologize for the cruel things that I did_

_But I don't regret one single word I said_

Chapuys awaited the final order from His Majesty. Any minute Master Kingston would be coming to tell him that he had been found guilty and that his sentence would soon be carried out by the executioner. Pain of death, he was not afraid of those words. He had been living with that phrase ever since he came to England to defend Her true Majesty, Katherine of Aragon. Death had always been the least of his concerns, should he die nobody would mourn him. He was a commoner, he came from a low nobility of Savoy through his mother, and by now all his family was already dead. Phillbert his brother was the last of his five brothers to die along with his wife in an accident not so long ago, and he too left no children so the line of Chapuys ended there with him.

He sighed. He was not a man who craved peace, that, he left it to poets and the women.

He was a realist, peace was nothing but a dream, even their Lord Jesus Christ knew that when he had been nailed to the Cross.

There was one book he had always craved reading but he had never done so, never with full attention because when he was a kid it always scared him. The Book of Revelation written by St. John of Padmos, the same John who was Christ's disciple had spoke through visions God and Jesus had given of the end of days approaching. His old friend Sir Thomas Moore not long before he had been imprisoned by His Majesty had said he had dreamt of the Anti Christ descending from Heaven to Earth to wreak havoc on mankind. Much as he respected More, nothing he said made sense.

Coming from Heaven to Earth, everyone knew Hell was done below, how could the Antichrist come from Heaven, but then as he read through the first passages of the last book of the bible, it said that prophets in the disguise of sheep but really wolves would come from the highest seats in power to mingle with the common people gaining many adepts.

That narrowed it down to all the Kings and nobility of Europe, heretic and catholic.

Chapuys brought his hand to his forehead; he didn't feel the same comfort making the sign of the cross anymore.

If he died nobody would miss him, nobody the King considered important. Lady Mary was no longer the pearl and jewel of his heart, but he was still his daughter and she still loved and craved his affection. The King had a poor way of showing his love for his daughter. First he locked his mother in that fortress sentencing her to a slow death, and then he bars his daughter from having any contact to his mother and even refused to let her go to her funeral in St. Petersborough Cathedral.

What kind of a father does that to a child?

Only the King of England –Eustace thought bitterly.

His lady, his poor, sweet lady. She would be all alone without anyone to help her now that he was to die. If she didn't sign that blasted Oath then His Majesty would put her to death, he was very sure he would, he had gone as far as to annul his marriage to a woman he had said he loved and cherished for more than twenty years, and kill his beloved friend and mentor Sir Thomas Moore. Why should he not kill his daughter then? –If she was only going to be a painful reminder of the life he had worked hard to erase.

Even if she signed she would always be punished by her parentage, the daughter of Katherine of Aragon, the bastard daughter of the King, the King's shame. Eustace closed his eyes trying to drive all these worries away but the thoughts were impossible to be taken when they had its claws tightly around his heart.

His chest had been bothering him for the last three weeks, and it had not been because of respiratory problems or the high altitude that afflicted many foreigners, it was another kind of pain, one he could not describe.

This is the end –he muttered putting the book aside.

He took off his boots and began to pull the bed sheets over his body. It was cold today, very cold that could only mean the shadow of death was with him, she probably knew too his time would soon be up.

Damn her –he thought as he closed his yes –damn her and all of England … save for one a voice in his head said. Eustace ignored it and went to sleep.


	3. Fade to black

**A/N: Important note to include on the madness of Chapuys that a man can have after being locked away in the darkest corner for months will be the result of switching POVs from third to First person so be warned not to be confused, and I really recommend hearing this song when reading this chapter to get a better grasps of Chapuys' madness.**

* * *

"_Just walk away make it easy on yourself_

_Just walk away please release me from this hell  
Just walk away there is just nothing left to feel_

_Just walk away pretend none of this is real"_

**~o~**

**September 30th**

Time was drawing near, it was now October. The days were getting colder and his gout was getting worse. He began to dream of Annency, of Louvian, his sweet home in Savoy where he had been raised for a quarter of his life with his mother and six brothers. He wanted to go back there when he was a child and there was no trouble or worries of politics or religion.

If there was a heaven he hoped it looked like Savoy and that he could find himself in that small house again being reunited with his mother, father and the rest of his family.

_Fate had a different plan._

**~o~**

On the last day of May Chapuys was preparing himself to meet his death. Master Kingston had come earlier to tell him that Eustace had been declared guilty and that he had been sentenced to death on June 7th.

Eustace had said nothing to Kingston, he nodded and went back to his chair after the warden had left the cell.

He began to write the last letters to his old master, the Emperor. By now he should have known his master didn't want anything to do with him, but he still felt out of old custom the need to write to him. He didn't excuse his behavior, there was nothing to apologize for, he had done it all for the true Princess. No matter what everyone said, she would always be the Princess of Wales and it should be her who should be sitting on the throne, not her father a useless man in his opinion who didn't know the first thing about love.

Sealing his letter Chapuys told the guards to get Master Kingston. When the warden came back to see the condemned man he received a letter.

"For my master" he said and then he handed Kingston two others.

"The first is for my two man servants Fleming and Raphael, I understand that they requested to see me and that their request has been denied by His Majesty, if you could please give them those letters and tell them that I am fine, especially to Raphael that boy I fear is very weak and very selfless, I don't want him to be concerned over my health any longer."

"And the other?"

Chapuys smiled wryly. It was hard to smile when he knew that death was coming soon, and that the Princess would be all alone. But nevertheless he hid his worry very good as he looked up at Kingston –"That is for the Princ-Lady Mary." He said nonchalantly but he didn't fool Kingston who had noticed the slip of his tongue when he was about to say Princess.

"Any special message for her?"

"No that is all" Chapuys said imperiously, his tone demanding obedience from Kingston who nodded and said nothing as he took the other two letters and left the cell.

His lady would hate him for it, but there was a lot she had to understand. She had not seen the world, she did not know how dangerous it could be. If she wanted to survive she must forget him, forget her status, forget her mother –it was the only way the Boleyns would leave her alone.

Though the pain in his leg was excruciating to say the least, he hopped on top of his chair. He wanted to see the view of outside the Tower Green.

He was not disappointed when he saw the blue skies cleared and the sun shining down on him. He covered his eyes with his hands when the sun's rays became too much for him. He got down from the chair and sat on it, his head on his fist as he thought of many things, his life at Annency, his family, Katherine of Aragon, England, the King, the Boleyns and the last thought that crossed through his mind was **her.**

He fell asleep thinking of all this

A strong noise from one of the walls in his cell woke him up.

"Quiet!" He bellowed.

The noise continued.

"Quiet!" He said until his voice became very raspy. The guards he noticed didn't do anything, they probably thought he was crazy, he had heard them comment earlier on how the Tower had that effect on people when they were imprisoned for too long, they became mad.

But that, Chapuys vowed when he was arrested, would never happen to him.

But a man could only endure so much sanity after months, almost a year now, of being trapped behind these walls.

The walls he had counted every stone, approximately they were twenty five thousand the first time he counted, three months ago, now a month ago when he counted again there were 35,671 stones now that he counted them again for the fourth time in a row today, there were indeed 35,671 stones. He had named them, he could not believe he had done now that he snapped from his trance. Each had a name, some their names were the same like the two he was stepping, which were under his feet, Juliet H and Juliet B. Fitting names, he thought, for the man going nuts.

His sanity was becoming lost and he could not stand Juliet H and Juliet B tremble. At least that is what he was sure they were doing, for they were not bicker or laughing like the others at his side, all echoing the laughter of the other prisoners in the cells next to each side of his wall.

Juliet H and Juliet B, they were trembling and the laughter in his walls would not stop.

This had become enough, too loud, and too annoying.

He ran to the right side of his cell. His hands clenched together, fingers against his skin, now they were fists and his hands were raised he drove them against the wall. He didn't notice in his delusion that his hands had begun bleed and that he had stained the stone that in the last month had become his only company.

"I said quiet! Quiet! Quiet!" He screamed.

Their echoes finally ceased, there was no more laughter, no more annoyance … now there was only pain.

He hissed in pain as he dropped to the ground, his leg not the only thing bothering him. For the first time he had taken notice of the poor state he had left his hands in. His nails were half falling from his dirty fingers, his hands were all covered in blood, his blood.

Damn, the last thing he needed besides his gout were two injures hands and his fingers. Now how the hell was he going to write?

Not that it mattered, he thought. He scowled, he couldn't do anything right, anything!

He had let Katherine of Aragon die for his foolishness. Just five months ago exactly on this day, the eight, he had been told Katherine of Aragon had died in pain while on her uncomfortable bed in that poor residence that His Majesty (under the influence of the whore) had sent her to. The news Kingston had told him, that she had died on the seventh and that she had enclosed to the King, her daughter … and lastly to Chapuys a letter where she told him that no matter what he was never to lose all hope, that just as he had stayed strong for her daughter, he would stay strong, no longer for her, she said for she assured she would be on a better place, nor for her daughter, but for him for she believed that God still had use for him even if his master, her nephew who hadn't.

Poor Queen, he thought. She was supposed to have died last year on Ano Domini 1536 but the Lord had saved her, but for what? She had died anyway in misery after knowing her "loving nephew" (he snorted –loving –yes real loving!- he thought sarcastic) left her to rot at Kimbolton after the whore had given birth to His Majesty's son. The bastard Royal turned a Prince along with that brat Elizabeth.

Nobody had believed the true Queen or the Princess had nothing to do with his plot, they all accused them and it was a great humiliation for the poor Princess whom he had grown very fond of. He could still remember every inch of her face, those imperfect bags under her eyes, unlike other men who would find her tiredness no longer alluring, he found it very so … her dark grey eyes, those eyes that always shined with hope when she saw him and her hands, her soft and delicate hands made for music, made for reading not for doing the arduous tasks that the whore and her family were making her do.

She must probably accuse me, and she has every right to do so. Chapuys said to himself bringing his hands to his face, rubbing his eyes, he was getting tired.

He had not noticed night had come.

The moon was there outside his pitiful cell. Its light shining on him. He didn't need its pity, he didn't need anyone's pity including his own.

God he was pathetic!

* * *

Another day passed. I began humming this time. In this world so long and unfair, I had felt every day pass like an eternity, like I have been in hell all this time.

Aren't I in hell though? I asked to the four winds blowing from every corner of England coming of my cell through his window.

The only comfort that his death gave him, which was to be in six days, was that at last he would be rid from his master, who had left him, his aunt, and especially his sweet, very sweet (his mind repeated) cousin Princess Mary to die. He didn't care that his master left him to die, he was a King and an Emperor, Kings did that when they wanted to bail themselves out of trouble. He was an escape goat since the beginning, that was the fate of all diplomats who got caught, he had never been troubled by this. It was the profession he had chosen, nothing he did he ever bore regret for, but after learning of the whore's son birth and that the pope, the vicar of Christ (he now smirked every time he thought of him) and his master approved of the little bastard's birth and on top of it all that they declared a lawful marriage between his aunt and his once uncle null and void when it had been them who had fought heaven, hell and all the courts of the world to keep legal … that had been too much.

When the lady, the most sweet lady he had ever met died … he had felt everything crumble, he had begun to worry, he could not sleep. He had began to sweat, to wake up screaming and panting, not scared for his welfare but for the Princess … what would become of her?

What would become of her? His mind repeated this question every day, in his sleep it was always there along with his nightmares of seeing the poor Princess running from her enemies.

His biggest fear on those dreams was seeing the poor Princess frightened, and then angry when she spotted him. She yelled at him "why didn't you save me? Why did you fail me like my father and my mother?" then she would be captured and put inside the coffin with her name on it written in Latin, her rightful title missing replaced with the word Lady instead.

The coffin would always be lit on fire by the harlot herself, Anne Boleyn, looking at the coffin with triumph as the flames consumed her enemy at last.

"She is my death and I am hers" The harlot always said ending his nightmares with a sardonic smile and mock bow as she acknowledged my presence. "Excellency" she wanted to say "you have lost"

I did lose, I lost everything and now I have lost the Princess.

I could use God now but he is too far from my reach as I am from him. I have closed my heart to him, and I don't feel bad for doing it. I have felt almost relieved when I did it. One less thing to worry about, my mind tells me with an acid tone as I try to spit from my mouth the awful meal brought to me yesterday. The bread was hard like a rock and the soup it was the most awful thing I have ever tasted it but I was so hungry that I pushed aside my disgust and ate all of yesterday's meal. Now I feel terribly sick, I should have left it aside, maybe I should not eat at all, I am going to die anyway maybe I should kill myself starving myself, I heard from Fleming who heard it from a physician (can't remember who now) that it was a very pleasant death.

I could not imagine how any death would be pleasant but my mind wanders to poor Queen Katherine, she must have felt the angel of death as her savior releasing her at last from all that pain and humiliation she suffered at The More because of her husband's amorous affair with her former Lady In Waiting.

I think back to Sir Thomas Moore, his family is all but gone now. I heard from Kingston, who told me in deep confidence that his wife Alice committed suicide, and that her stepchildren have all died as if cursed one by one, and the only one left is rumored to be John Moore's only son and only heir to what is left of the Moore family fortune, Thomas Moore II. I pity that poor child. He should have died, as cruel as it sounds I don't care. What life awaits that child? He has nobody in the world, nobody? Who will take care of him?

I smirk when my mind whispers Princess Mary. The Princess Mary has always been a charitable soul and a true missionary at heart like her mother. It makes me smile as I see the two in my mind, both in black clothing smiling at me. The Queen telling me it is alright and the Princess saying goodbye to me.

That is when I realize that the days have passed on very quickly, and that I am one day away from my execution.

I kneel before my bed, not to God, not to ask for my redemption, for an absolution that I am certain will never come. I pray to Mary, for she is the only person whose mere thought of her lightens my existence in this hell hole.

* * *

A/N: Again I recommend you view these chapters with the song Walk Away by Five finger death punch it will provide the reader with the effect needed to understand more of Chapuys' feelings of rage, fear and understand the madness he is experiencing while being imprisoned.


	4. Just walk away

**A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers to SSLE and Artemis Samhain, chica (Artemis) lo querias aqui lo tengo no solo Mary Tudor aqui sino la cancion de nuevo mas una sorpresa**

**To everyone this and the next two chapter that will be up in a few hours, or minutes if my computer is not so slow you will have to hear in these two chapters to the song once more, very crucial for the story, and thanks again to everyone of you hope you enjoy, this story will take a twist**

* * *

"_Would you forgive me if you told me that I care?_

_Would you be sorry if I swore that I would be there?_

_Please forgive me for laughing when you fall_

_I am so sorry but I have never cared at all"_

Mary knelt before her before her bed stand, she had a small cross that she had found earlier today before she began her duties as maid to her sister and now to her legally recognized brother, the Prince of Wales she thought on bitterly as she began to pray for his health.

Other former Princess would have said no, let him die, but not her, she loved her brother … and in spite of the man who had tried to murder him she loved him too for all she had done for her. He was the sun lightening her abyss when she was on all alone in Hatfield with no one to smile on her. Now it was different, her sister loved her and she said she would never believe Mary was guilty and her brother, well one only needed one look at him to know his soul was blameless of his parents' sins, especially the mother's.

Her cousin, all her family had left her alone, including the pope. She had felt no need to pray, eventually she lost the will to pray until today because today was June 6th, the sixth day, only one day until he dies she thought grimly.

"_Lord that is in heaven …"_ She had already brought her fingers to her forehead, the sign of the cross already made, and the prayers finished she lastly said to God –"_Forgive and spare him_" for me she wanted to add but she found she didn't have anymore strength to pray or to move her body. She fell asleep, her body falling on the ground as she passed out.

Horrible dreams plagued her that night, of her only friend, her only ally dying the next morning.

He began to hear the prayers of other men next to his cell, crying and yelling for absolution.

Pitiful, he thought, pitiful that they pray to a Lord who will never come, a Lord who betrays his subjects, a Lord who sent his most faithful subject to death so his hands could be clean, so he would remain Lord of everything.

Any moment now … he sighed.

The sun was beginning to set, and the rays began to illuminate the dark corner in which he had slept the last three days. The mattress on his bed was as hard as the rocks so he had left it for sleeping on top of Juliet H and Juliet B.

Master Kingston would come by any moment now, any moment.

He waited, and waited but soon in the wait he became desperate. Why was Master Kingston taking so long? Had something happened?

He passed both his hands through his gray hairs. He pulled his hairs and ran backwards hitting himself against the wall, inflicting pain on his back and his scalp to make sure he wasn't dreaming, and if he was to wake himself up so he could depart from this world once and for all.

But soon reality hit him when he felt the warm crimson liquid on his hands, this time it not only came from his hands but from his forehead as well where he had pulled his hair when he drove himself against the wall.

How much more pain would he have to endure until Master Kingston finally came?

He collapsed on the floor. Exhaustion, darkness hitting his vision, the crimson liquid from his hands, he began to crawl on the only two rocks which had a different name from all the others, no repetition.

As he reached Katherine and Mary, he looked at them closely. They were clean; no one had ever stepped on them. Pure that is what they were. Yes you are, he said to them repeatedly, you are very clean … very …

His sanity was beginning to wane once more.

"Psst …"

He was too engulfed by the _beauty_ of the two rocks on the floor that he failed to hear the mad howls of laughter and then pleadings that were coming from the cell next to his.

"I said do you hear me?"

There were no guards outside his door. The guards had requested a month and a half ago to be transferred elsewhere, they said the former ambassador represented no risk anymore since he had begun to lose his mind, naming rocks and constantly counting them every day. The King had granted them their request, it was since then that he his cell had been without guards and it was good because that way he had no one to interrupt him from talking to himself, or to his apparitions.

Chapuys turned to his right, it was the same voice, he recognized from months ago that he had shouted to be quiet. What did that mad man want?

Look who is talking rock man, his mind said but he rolled over its sarcasm and crawled to the corner of his cell.

He put his ear against the rocks, between Sophie B and Eleanor R, R stood for Rigby for one of his childhood friends, from his and Phillbert who had died when she was ten years old, two years old his senior and four years old younger than his brother.

Eleanor Rigby, she besides Fleming and his Princess, had been the only good honorable English that he had the pleasure to know. Eleanor was always there when his father and mother were not, she along with Phillbert helped him overcome his fear of darkness, like Mary Tudor she used to be his sunlight.

Walk away, he told to the memory of Eleanor, and leave me alone, I need your clarity, your strength, not the memory of your death … go away.

Finally her image was gone from his mind, now the only thing remaining was the inanimate object that had her name.

"Who is this?" He asked harshly "Why have you come here?"

The person behind the wall began to laugh madly, his voice raspy. It was not the voice of a man like him, the raspy tone and cynicism behind every sentence suggested this was an older man, much older than him.

"You are the famous Ambassador, the cynic Eustace Chapuys who do you think I am?"

"You are right that I **was** an Ambassador" he said the last word rolling off his tongue like acid. "but I was and still am not no psychic" would I be here if I was? He thought bitterly.

The old man began to laugh and with his cynicism he asked to the former Ambassador "If you are not an Ambassador any longer why write letters to the Princess or to your servant and the master who has all but abandoning you?"

Chapuys growled "Don't speak their names again, and how do you know so much, tell me old coot have you been spying on me all these months, are you some kind of spy from His Majesty …"

"My, my, temper" he said followed by mad fits of laughter that soon died down and he continued "I would not dream of challenging you, but I have a proposition, I have come recently or should I say in the future, well not my future … but yours, my future …"

Chapuys raised his eyebrows.

Great, the day I am about to be executed and I am talking to a mad man.

"… I have come as I was saying with a good possession a map that will solve all your troubles … the fountain of youth"

Chapuys barked in laughter. Oh this man whatever his penalty was for being in the tower it had to be for throwing bull shit or conning others selling them fake maps that motivated the fools they conned to embark on these crazy journeys to the new world where it was said to be filled with treasures that went beyond gold or silver.

Far fetched stories, he called them when he heard many men coming from those voyages empty handed. They had been scammed and not only by their country men but also by the savages of those lands. The savages had probably seen the lust for gold in their eyes, and what better way than to drive them away from their lands by claiming that there were cities of gold on the north, and then when they reached there they would find nothing, that should have been enough for Chapuys to have turned back to Spain, but no these men were so blinded by their lust for gold that when the Indians turned south they would turn south and when they went south and found nothing, they would ask the Indians again and the Indians would say turn east and so they would do.

Gold … youth, they were all a myth! The only thing that they had found in the Americas had been gold, new goods such as new fruits and vegetables, and animals of course but other than that … nothing.

All they had needed to make themselves rich they had already plundered, raped the land until they had made sure that it had become sterile with no more gold or minerals left for the Indians, the natives they had turned into slaves, some they had converted but very few because after all, the Empire had argued, why would God every want them to save savages who were no better than the animals they ate?

This man was sure to be a con man, he was probably caught by all the scams he had made.

"Go away … I am about to be executed if you haven't heard" he spat.

He was about to pull his ear from Eleanor R when the man said to him …

"I can help you Eustace, I have grown too old, to weary to keep on moving within the fabric of realities, and I have seen so much of the world, aye my old mate once said this world was getting smaller, it is Eustace it is mate … but you can see it all, wouldn't you want to save the Princess? I can give you that chance, you know that if you die you stand no chance of saving her or begetting the revenge you crave for your enemies that put you here, and what about your master?"

"Shut up!" Bellowed Chapuys, digging his fingers through the rock that bared his old friend's name staining it with his nails and blood.

"You are never to say her name understood! If I was standing next to you I would grip your neck and …"

Who was this filthy old man, this con artist, this thief to say his Princess name, he was filth he was very below him and below her.

The old man chuckled ignoring Chapuy's threats.

"You want to help the Princess or not?"

He was a condemned man, he was about to die, what more harm would it do to his person or his soul (though he didn't believe too much the latter existed anymore) if he were to confess to this mad man. He was going to die anyway, might as well pass his last moments in something that kept his mind from the execution.

"Yes"

There he said it!

"Very good now listen carefully there is one treasure, laugh if you will but this is not a laughing matter" the old coot said his voice turning deadly serious as he gave Chapuys instructions "on the coast of the Gold of the Americas just up you will find a land there, it will be or is already named Florida … go to the coast, there is a beach there, I forget the name but is in the map I am about to give you, you will find a corral reef, it has been unexplored, I know what you will say it is too close to lands but listen follow the maps instructions, if you sit on the beach a certain time of day, at a certain time of the month in a year that I predict is this one the sun will show you the way where to dig. Begin to dig, you will find a key, that key has the signs to lead you to the treasure …"

"I thought you said it was fountain of youth" He asked skeptically raising his eyebrows.

"Why of course, but first you must use this key, and since you have spoiled my story … then I will spoil yours or maybe I should do you a favor, oh how I hate loosing track of things … but the key don't worry I will give you the answer, it leads two steps behind you, behind where you will stand looking at the sea, there will be a chest buried, begin to dig and when you dig it up you will find a water inside." He finished giving a last fit of laughter.

Chapuys was about to tear his ears and nails from the wall when he began to hear a noise coming from the old coot's cell.

He looked below, the rocks, the same where he had felt months earlier had moved were moving now.

What magic is this? He asked, but it was no magic, as the rocks at the bottom next to the wall that stood between both his and the old coot's cell, began to be pulled and soon as they were moved he saw a hand with a big parchment on his hand.

Could it be? Was this old man telling the truth?

No he could not accept that, if this was true the man could have used this to escape, he was not thick like other men, he was a diplomat, he had survived through many dangers in the English Court, through many of its intrigue, he was not going to be fooled, but the hand began to shake as if saying take it, take it now.

Seeing no other means to escape, he took it.

"I leave you with one more gift, listen well the Boleyns will show you no mercy, they have made a bet, and after you die they will use this to kill the Princess"

"What?" Chapuys exclaimed the map hidden inside his doublet that he began buttoning up for his execution. He had intended to look presentable, and not the dirty, insane man he had been for the past month.

"Yes … but alas, if you don't die they will not kill the Princess"

"How can you be sure, if I don't die and escape they have more reason to fear her"

The man's hand was still out, he closed his fingers only one finger standing out, his finger moved right and left saying no.

"Believe me, trust me … no I know you don't but trust me on this, they have made a deal, I can't tell with whom, but as long as you live so will she."

It sounded too far fetched, but something made him take that map, and something was making him nod his head.

"The men will come soon for you … now replace yourself with me."

"How?"

"Begin to remove the rocks, come one you have thirty minutes, these rocks can be removed in fifteen minutes."

Chapuys snorted with laughter. "Now you are an engineer besides a fortune seeker?"

"Fortune adventurer my friend, seeker are those that don't know where to look, I always do after all I was once a great captain …"

He began to take heed of his advice, but not because he believed in everything he said, but because he wanted this man to stop talking all his bull shit stories and fake recounts of something he had never been.

Captain? This conman, yeah sure, and he had been the Emperor of Germany, and husband of the infamous Matilda in another life, he thought a wry smile slowly forming on his face as he finished taking all the rocks.

At last he saw the face of his cell mate after he withdrew his hand and began to move his body down the hole where both him and Eustace had taken all the rocks minutes before.

The face of the old man was full of wrinkles, pimples on every side of his dirty neck, his eyes were chocolate brown, unfocused as was his stare. He had a long beard that was braided as was all his long hair in awful white dreadlocks.

This man, perhaps he had been right. As Chapuys looked closer analyzing every physical detail of his face and shaggy clothing he realized he was a pirate. His pants were black but all loose, and unlike most men who stole and raped he had no eye patch, in fact no scratch but the cuts on his hands that like him he had made many times while pulling the rocks.

"Aye we finally meet eh?" The old man said, his voice turning wearier, it was followed by a violent cough, the man turned away from Eustace fearful he could get the old ambassador sick.

"Sorry 'bout that" the old man said turning to face him again. He held out his hand for Eustace, but Eustace was weary to shake it, it was dirty and just realizing that this man had been a pirate he was less motivated despite the man's previous help to take his hand.

"Ah well if you don't want to take my hand … fine, wouldn't be the first, Beckett didn't want to take it either …"

Chapuys' eyes went wide at the mention of Beckett. "Wait you mean …?"

"Exactly the very man who was this close to putting me here, aye but I, he who laughs last laughs … better, and you can guess who laughed better in the end?"

"You" Chapuys said dryly recalling the fall of the last good captain that the English navy had. Captain Beckett had helped the English in the war against France, it was very sad day for both nations, England and the Empire when they heard about the man's tragic end at the hands of a pirate Lord no less!

Was this man trying to tell him that he was the pirate along with the others Pirates from around the five corners of Europe who had taken him down? Impossible, this old stinking man could not be that man.

As if reading Chapuys' thoughts the old pirate captain made a mock bow and looked at him later straight in the eye "Aye hard to believe but I am that pirate … Captain …"

Chapuys held a hand up –he had no desire to hear this man's name, just hearing that name was penalty enough, anyone associated with this man would be punished by death, it was the only thing that the King of England and the Emperor had been adamant to keep into effect since England's break with Rome.

"I don't want to hear it, now tell me how will I escape from this dump, my legs can barely move and one of them is plagued with gout" He said harshly.

The old pirate's eyes drifted towards the former ambassador's right leg.

He titled his head. "Well old chap that is going to prove a problem but if love beats all or friendship whatever … then you will overcome your pain as I captain –"

"Don't say it"

"Fine, fine, do what you like, but we have less than fifteen minutes so I suggest you move into my cell"

Chapuys saw the man walk past him and accommodate himself on his bed.

He wheeled to face him. "How will I escape? They will notice something is wrong when they see you in my cell and vice verse!" He screamed.

"Temper, temper … the lock is unlocked savvy?"

Chapuys narrowed his eyebrows.

"What? You could have escaped, you could escape now" No that I want you to he added mentally, "why sacrifice yourself for me?"

"Who said I am sacrificing myself for you? I am scheduled to die, my death has not, will not be announced until my head is paraded on all of England. I am the most wanted man in this island and by your Emperor, why do you think the Emperor agreed to renew the negotiations with his old uncle?"

Now it all made sense. The King had offered him the head of the infamous pirate captain to have ever walked to Earth to his old master in a silver platter, like John the Baptist his execution would prove a triumph to both nations who had been ridiculed by this man's many escapades from their navy vessels.

"Besides … I am too old and too bored, I prefer to join all of my old mates, my second old mate" he suddenly groaned at the mention of his old mate, the pirate Chapuys could tell did not have a fondness for the man (who it was widely known in all of Europe) had betrayed him twice, first when he went after the Spanish gold of Cortez, and second after each had supposedly bet on who would get first to the Fountain of Youth. By the map that Chapuys now had in his hand, this pirate Lord had reached his destination first but apparently he had not drank from its holy waters since he was now old and sicker than he was. What a fool if that was the case –Chapuys thought.

"He is not my problem of course, but after years of solitary I think it will do me good seeing him in the afterlife, plus all of my crew and my precious ship" the old pirate Lord sighed. "How I miss those beautiful black sails"

The pirate lord coming out of his trance shook his head.

"But enough is enough, the men are coming soon for you, now go … you will be safe so will … okay fine I won't say it, but come on go, you know this tower well do you not."

Chapuys glared at him.

"Oh yeah I forget you do, you were supposed to be the all knowing ambassador your master's oracle, well then go, take the boat and be sure to go to Gravesend or to Maldon Port, either way you can grab a ship that will take you to Portugal or to Spain from there you can take my advice and go to Florida eh savvy?"

Chapuys did not respond, he merely crawled under the whole and was in the cell of the old Pirate Lord condemned now to take his place, he walked to the cell's door. Just as the pirate had said it was unlocked. How the old pirate had managed to do this was beyond him but he was not going to bother to ask him or think about it. He wanted to taste freedom, and if accepting a liar's word was his last opportunity, he was going to take it.

In his old garments, his dirty doublet, his gray hair stained with blood along with his hands, he forgot about his gout, and ignored the pain. He raced towards the stairs.

As the man had predicted the guards came, but Chapuys was already ten minutes ahead of them. In the boat they had come there was only one person waiting there, to his surprise it was … Fleming!

He never thought he would ever be glad to see that insufferable man!

Fleming had been as shocked as Eustace to see his Master descending from the stairs. His doublet dirty as his pants and shoes. His hair all bloodied and his hands in worse condition than his right leg plagued with gout.

"What?" Fleming started but his mouth hanged open no words coming out of it.

It was unbelievable, how on Earth did the old stubborn cynic managed to escape? God, this man was filled of many surprises!

Fleming went to help him but Chapuys shook his head vigorously.

"Don't Fleming, let us move on quickly … can you give me that cloak, the fog is very thick, with good luck we will be able to get away without being noticed." Chapuys said his old commanding tone returning.

Fleming nodded.

There was no time for Chapuys to ask him how he had ended up as servant of the King, or Fleming to ask his old master how he had on Earth escaped from his prison cell.

Fleming handed his master as he climbed on the boat the dark cloak. "Thanks Fleming … now row" He commanded and again Fleming nodded, soon after he began to row they were out of sight. It was like the heavens were on their side, Fleming was sure of it, never being a deep religious man like his master, he had converted to the faith after seeing his master's face again, though all bloodied it was a miracle in itself that he had escaped from the worst prison in London.


	5. Make it easy on yourself

**A/N: I realize these four chapters, especially chapters 2 and 3 might seem boring but I don't want to jump start too soon into the action when we need to understand the events that have led to Chapuys' anger against everyone including in the near future Mary.**

**Yes this is CHARY, but like all CHARY it will be gradual and not just right away, remember that though AU in real life they were strong religious figures who would not have jumped on the bandwagon of love very soon.**

**~o~**

Now the story goes on.

**~o~**

_"Just walk away make it easy on yourself_

_Just walk away please release me from this hell_

_Just walk away there is just nothing left to feel_

_Just walk away pretend none of this is real"_

After much discussion between Chapuys and Fleming they all eventually agreed that they would part from England, thoug, Gravesend had been Chapuys agreed with Fleming was too risky for them and too close to the brat Elizabeth's (he refused to call her Princess) household at Hertfordshire. So the only option left was Maldon. Maldon was very far from Hunsdon where they heard the Princess was being kept, and very far away from Hertfordshire as well, there was a manor there nearby but it had not been used in decades. There would be less guards stationed there so they came to the decission that they would leave immediately, after they had picked up Raphael for Spain.

Raphael was very nervous when he heard they would be leaving England for Spain. He hadn't been particularly fond of his old homeland as he had been of his adoptive land, England. Sure the people were changelings, as their King and the weather on the big island, but overall he had gotten used to it, he had not been in Spain for years he feared he would barely recognized it when they arrived there.

Oh Raphael every the naive one, he still hopes for me to settle down and go into hiding as Flemign and leave my desire for revenge, thought Chapuys smiling inwardly at the innocence of his youngest man servant.

Raphael and Fleming as Chapuys had gathered all their saving. The latter still had the purse that Master Kingston had given him a week ago. In it were the pounds he was supposed to give the executioner.

He had put them to good use when he booked passage for himself and his men.

It had not been easy finding Raphael. Fleming once they were on the ship on route to Portugal said to his Master, voicing his own worries, they all were in concern to the map he was having and most importantly to his own (as Fleming dared to call it) insanity.

"Fleming I might not be nothing but fugitive finally less than you, and though you think this gives you permission to be blunt …"

He was cut by Fleming, "With all due respect sir I have always been blunt it has always been one of my _finest _qualities you never managed to take from me" His former manservant said cleverly giving the former ambassador a wide grin.

Chapuys scowled and turned away from Fleming's penetrating gaze.

This was how low he had gotten, lower than a servant and with no reply to give to Fleming nor with the authority anymore to reprimand his insolence.

How he hated being him, but as he felt the parchment grace his skin, he unbuttoned the first two buttons of his doublet and pulled from under his chemise from his chest the map that the old pirate had given him.

God rest his soul wherever he may be now, if there was a God that is he must be resting in Hell for all the sins he had committed against his old master and the King of England.

"What is that?" Fleming asked eyeing the map carefully as Chapuys laid over a box that was on their chamber.

This was finest they could get. It was a very small room for three people, but the sailors and the captain of the ship would have suspected from them if they had gone for a larger room, this was the best they could get for them to avoid suspicion, something Fleming disliked since he felt awkward being stuck in the same room with his master and Raphael and their beds so close together.

"This" Eustace said carefully ignoring the snores from Raphael. He pointed his middle finger from his left hand to the sign of the cup that was on Florida. "is where we will go, now the map is in English letters, that old coot, famous pirate now nothing but older and more sick than I am … his stories were true, he has sailed to China, he did stole that vessel from Portugal and he stole this map from the infamous pirate. As one of the former Pirate Lords he seems to have found the fountain of Youth"

Fleming narrowed his eyebrows. His forehead drenched in the tears of sweat pouring from each pore of his body. It was terribly hot in this room, it was a miracle his former master did not feel it, but maybe it was all because he had spent very cold winters in that tower, surely this heat was like a blessing from the Lord.

"I know what you are saying in your mind Fleming" Chapuys said giving his former servant a chuckle upon seeing the confusion in his eyes. "this is crazy, and I would be saying the same thing but think …"

Fleming rolled his eyes. Think, his master favorite word besides reason.

Ignoring Fleming's look Chapuys went on "… the old coot was once a virile captain, loved by the ladies you know it was said Mary Fitzroy, the old widow of Fitzroy had bedded him when she was yet not married to the King's bastard"

Fleming smirked, oh how could he not remember that scandal? It was the only reason why she had been married right away, because that liaison had resulted in an unwanted pregnancy, that thankfully for the mother's family she had lost the baby upon marrying Henry Fitzroy, the late Duke of Richmond.

"That was what? Four years ago? Maybe six give or take, his handsome beauty was still an appeal for many women, now that I saw him just days ago he was hideous, worse than me, worse than Norfolk or any decrepit old man in the English Court. It was like he had aged forty years."

"So you think the fountain of youth had a reverse effect on him"

The old ambassador shakes his head. "Nay. I say the fountain of youth by what it says in this inscription does give the taker of the holy waters youth, but only if you drink the right amount. See how each time I move these charts" he paused moving each side of the charts until they came right in place, the words rearranging above the symbol of the cup in Florida. It read **–He who drinks with a humble spirit shall have eternal youth, he who is filled with demons of greed shall perish.**

After Fleming read this aloud he turned to look up at his master again. "Then he rolled over this advice, his lust for gold and immortality is legendary after all, or was if they did not kill him already"

Chapuys sardonically smiled. A fitting punishment for the criminal who had caused the Empire that had betrayed Chapuys, and England so much trouble.

"Exactly" He said. "Now all we have to do is take a ship, disguise ourselves as sailors and get to Florida, get to the beach follow his directions and take enough to … What is wrong?" Chapuys suddenly asked upon seeing the sudden frown on Fleming's face.

"Fleming?" He asked again worried for the first time of his manservant.

Fleming sighed, he was not much a sighing man, he always let those sentimentalities and worries to Raphael, the boy had always been younger and though an adult now he practically still behaved like the impulsive Spaniard teen when he had first gone to the service of the Ambassador.

"Since my wife died and my daughters too after … after the birth" he struggled to say the last part, the memory was still too painful "I vowed that as soon as death came for me I would welcome it with open arms."

"Don't be foolish Fleming you can have all the gold, Immortality, the map on the back tells of another treasure, this one filled with gold coincidently on a place called Spada, the old treasure of Lord Cristobal di Spada, I always was sure it was myth but alas after we find the holy waters we can travel to Spada, the three of us we will …"

"Sir!" Fleming cried, almost waking Raphael who turned the opposite way, thankfully he was a heavy sleeper and he was still snoring. "That is enough" he said enraged "I have tolerated everything you have done, you think you haven't had nightmare or any of your loyal servants but you are wrong, I have had terrible nightmares just thinking of all you have done and that I have covered all of it because who was the one who began to burn your letters before the guards came for you to lock you in the tower. You wanted to ask me how is it that I landed in that awful position of escorting your executioner to the Tower?  
Well let me please you, after you were imprisoned I requested to see you, permission was never granted. Times were hard for me, I had no money, no pension, I had to find somewhere else, I knew the Howards my family had worked for them before but of course because of what you've done that was impossible, and so then came the Duke of Suffolk, by some miracle the King heard him. He recommended me to him and the King accepted him before his wench could say no. I worked in his Household, but to prove that I was worthy of him, I was commanded to escort your executioner, it was something I could not do but I had to do because brave as Raphael always said I was, I am not. I am not brave because I am not stupid to die for anyone you told me that, but it was difficult nonetheless yet I did not blink or flinch when the King told me to transport your executioner. I nodded my head like the good servant that I was … I believe it was fate when I found you there, maybe God was watching us, maybe he wanted you to survive, maybe he planned all of this who know. But whatever it was I am sure that one thing that was not in his plans was me drenched in those holy or for all I care cursed waters. Believe me I have no intention to live forever, I have nothing to live for, it would just be a life empty and void of pleasure."

Silence.

Chapuys, always a man with something to say, was left with nothing but silence. He always saw Fleming as a man very reserved, very thoughtful, alas he had been the only man so far whose mental walls he could never brake. Now he, Fleming, had tore his mental walls by himself.

Behind those piercing green eyes, Fleming was not only telling him of his distaste at the idea that his master was trying to pursue, but also of his desire for revenge.

As if he had read his mind, Fleming added breaking the silence. "Revenge is a dish best served cold that is a load of bull. A man as smart as you knows that, but you are a politician. You probably haven't heard the true meaning of revenge that it is a forest, and the deeper you get in that forest, the easier it will be to lose yourself and your soul"

That was enough bashing by Fleming, considered Chapuys.

"Much as I am touched by your sentimentality I do not intend to take lover's words. I know what I am doing"

"Oh I am sure you do, but are you really prepared for the mental result?" Fleming asked him very quickly.

Chapuys took the map and began to roll it and went to his bed.

"I am tired Fleming, we will be landing to Spain very soon. And by the way Fleming …" he made his servant turn as his voice lowered to a deathly serious tone. "I am always ready. I will not lose my soul when I have never had one."

Stubborn, naïve fool, thought Chapuys. He doesn't know what he is saying. Glory could be his and yet he is leaving all of that behind for what? Sentimentality? How pathetic, they would never see that with him, he was lucky to be devoid of all feelings, except for revenge and anger at what had been done to him for defending the rightful Princess' claim to the throne of England.

When this was all over he would show emotion, he would rejoice seeing all of England burning, all of the nobility suffer as he had suffered and best of all he would see his old master seeing his old servant's face that he had tossed aside smiling down at him.

* * *

After they had reached Spain, they stayed in a guest house not very far from port where Raphael and Fleming who had surprisingly, Chapuys observed, turned out to have a lot of life saving, bought a small ship.

Chapuys had asked Fleming if he knew anything about navigation on sea, Fleming said yes, he said to his old master he used to be a sailor before entering his service but he had been _retired _–he'd said to them –by the English Navy.

"What do you mean by that?" Chapuys asked amused.

"I didn't like the Captain"

"Men don't like their masters and captain but they don't get retired just for that. What did you do Fleming?" Chapuys asked him, his voice more demanding. Raphael was very attentive now as his old master waiting for his best friend's answer.

After a while and seeing how they would not take off with him if he didn't give them the full story, he did with one word "Insubordination"

Raphael opened his mouth; he wanted to ask what exactly he had done to the captain but the look on his old master's face made him close it.

On the fifth day since their arrival to Spanish Port they parted for Florida. As Fleming and Chapuys had predicted, the ports were very watched but Fleming proved to have very good skills avoiding all detection. Raphael was in awe of his friend, why hadn't he never told them of his good navigation skills? He must have done something very bad to the Captain, Raphael began to think, to expel a good sailor like him. Most sailors Raphael had heard needed a compass or the guidance of the stars, and the birds, but Fleming seemed to need nothing but his intuition and his good sight.

Long days, a week maybe more, Raphael wasn't too sure about that, but the days were definitely long and he was about to protest once more (he had done it every day since the voyage began and constantly he made his old master and his best friend yell at him to shut up, sometimes to quiet him down they would threaten him to throw him off the boat, something seeing the deathly glares in their faces, always made him fall for it) when Fleming yelled "Land I see land"

Raphael stood from his place. This ship had been driving everyone crazy, not just him. It was small, very small and it had been the only reason why they had avoided detection, but the size and not finding anything for long days had made everyone, including his best friend dull.

When they all heard the world land twice, it was the best time of their lives since this voyage began.

~o~

Took them hours, but after they landed in the non surveyed beach of Florida, one of many who were not still taken seriously.

In the past Chapuys had thought good the Emperor is finally learning not to believe all those savages and con men who say there is gold or some holly substance that can grant immortality.

Now not only he was happy that the Emperor had stopped listening to those rumors, but that he had stopped the conquistadors from exploring these islands and raping them, as they had done with most of the America of their natural wealth.

"Where now?" Raphael asked, a little scared, and a little anxious.

Chapuys saw the frightened looks of his youngest servant. Raphael would only be a nuisance, it was better he stayed on the ship and that is what he did without protest when he told him to wait for them (him and Fleming) and under no circumstance no matter how scared he may be, should he move away from that spot or sail for that matter.

Though Raphael was a fellow very easy to frighten, he was very loyal to his master and to Fleming, he would not leave he vowed and Fleming smiled at him putting one hand on the younger man's shoulder giving him reassurance that he would see them again soon.

Raphael watched as his old master and Fleming disappeared.

~o~

"Were to now? We have been walking in circles old man" Fleming said frustrated.

They had not been walking in circles, how could they be when he had followed every instruction it said on the map, besides if one negative feature Fleming had acquired from Chapuys had been that he tended to overreact.

It had been less than an hour, Chapuys felt since they'd left Raphael and the small ship. Surely they could not be lost already, he had been careful with the map's instructions.

"You want me to do it?" Fleming offered his hands extending waiting that Eustace would give him the map.

"Eustace?" He pressed using his former master's first name.

Chapuys was about to bark at Fleming –**_remember your position_**- when he remembered it should be him who should remember his position. He was no longer part of the lower nobility or the diplomatic body of the Emperor, he had no master now but himself and Fleming was no longer his servant so technically he was doing nothing wrong calling him by his first name.

"Fine Fleming here you go" Chapuys said, now Eustace to Fleming, who, had smirked as Eustace handed him the map at last.

He hated saying it so he just smirked and thought to himself, I have better navigation skills than Eustace and they don't just limit to water.

"Well?" Eustace asked annoyed seeing that Fleming was taking too much time analyzing that map.

Fleming rolled the map, remembering every detail he looked up at Eustace's eyes and in a cheerful voice he responded at last –"You were right Eustace ... but" Fleming said quickly when he saw that his master's lips were quivering about to be open –"you were wrong, the key is not after the chest, in fact it is before see you are standing on top of the chest and I am standing on top of the other chest that has the key"

Chapuys had to resist the urge to growl. He had been humiliated by Fleming, this day was just getting better and better.

"Well let us dig then" He ordered.

"With what?" Fleming asked "We have no shovels and are you suggesting old man we go back to the ship?"

"Call me old man one more time and our crew will be short one man" Chapuys snapped his voice lowering to a deadly tone. "Now are you going to help me or join our cowering mate on the shore?"

"Fine" Fleming grumbled "Let us do it your way dirtying our hands more like we have always done under your command"

Chapuys said nothing, he and Fleming began to dig where Fleming was. It was an arduous labor but they finally got the small chest, it was made surprisingly of wood, very cheap wood Eustace commented. No doubt it was the work of that pirate.

He opened it and just as the pirate said there was a key inside with the inscriptions in Latin 'humility and truth a man shall never age, greed and revenge make a man young but his heart perishes'

"What does that mean?" Fleming inquired.

"I do not know and I do not care, lets go to where I was and uncover that chest once and for all"

"Yes the sooner we can leave the better."

They went to dig with their hands for the second chest, a bigger one they were sure as their hands hit on a rough, hard surface. Chapuys hissed in pain, he had been hiding his pain ever since his escape from prison but now that he had been kneeling for more than half and hour the pain had become too unbearable for him to hide and Fleming rushed to his side, a hand on his shoulder he said "Eustace … let us go back, this is madness."

Chapuys shook his head vigorously "I am not giving up Fleming, go if you must but I am staying, I will swim back to Spain if I must but I must find it, I must … aahhh" A greater pain struck his leg, he was becoming very weary, he felt like he was about to pass out and now Fleming's grip on his shoulder was stronger, he put his other hand on his other shoulder he was intending to help him up and drive him away from his quest, but he would not let him. They had not gotten this far to come with nothing!

"Sir … Eustace please … you will kill yourself for this fortune and glory that does not exist"

"I don't care" he rasped as the air became hotter, and it soon became more difficult to breath. He began to cough violently, to Fleming's alarm he was throwing blood with each cough but his old friend was still stubborn as a mule digging the chest until finally he had dug it up. Half of his lungs destroyed and without air, trouble breathing, his nose bleeding and his coughs continuing, but the hunger for vengeance was keeping him alive.

"I must … I must." He did not have the strength to finish, to say it was all for her, not for him or for the God that had abandoned him, but for her to keep her safe.

Pulling his hand away from Fleming who was trying to get his old friend away from the chest he pushed the key into key hole, finally as he turned it the chest opened.

It was a chest made of metal, not as small as the wooden box in which the old coot, the old English pirate, the once feared and admired pirate lord, responsible of the destruction of the most important English army vessel and for the murder of Captain Beckett.

Just as the pirate, as the map had said there it was filled with water, holy clean water.

He could drink it all but Fleming's voice "Eustace" stopped him

He remembered the words, revenge, greed and humility.

He had to choose wisely, he was not one for superstition but the words could be true. He was so close to passing out, but no longer motivated for revenge, he became motivated as he saw in the waters of Youth the face of … her, her youthful face, her eyes, full of innocence, tenderness, yet she looked so sad but he could not touch her she was so far from his reach now for him to help her.

He realized that despite his thirst he could only drink what is necessary.

"Mary" He thought not realizing he had said his thought aloud that Fleming heard.

He brought his hand to the part of her face, that small part that shone her goodness, her purity, just in the center of her forehead that is where he felt all her goodness was, in her brain for she bore no ill thoughts against anyone, she had even grown to love her sister and her brother, he had been informed while he had been in the tower by Kingston. Such a remarkable creature, one of the few who had not sold her soul for fortune, gold or for ambition, she was the only one who had been loyal to her ideals in the end …

_A true soul_ …

His hand after pulling from the waters of Eternity held only about two drops of that holy water, he brought it to his lips very slowly and instead of gulping them down as much as he wanted to, he let them dance in his tongue, slowly sliding down it to reach his throat and then his stomach.

The moment they had been tasted he felt different, he felt like on fire and when they had slide to his throat and then to his stomach he had instantly put his hands to his stomach, forgetting about the pain in his leg he let himself fall to the floor.

He did not see Fleming's concerned look or feel him shaking him and yelling at his ear several times.

He was clutching his stomach harder, now his legs the fire extended towards his legs and he felt his bones becoming stronger, they were rearranging themselves but the didn't know this, he just wanted it the pain to stop.

As if whatever was causing him to revolt in pain read his mind, it finally stopped.

"Eustace … Eustace!"

He did not realize he had his eyes closed all this time, that could have explained why his vision had clouded seconds ago when he felt his hands on fire.

He opened his eyes slowly, he felt them very light yet he was very afraid of what the final outcome had been of taking those two drops from that mysterious water. He felt different when he sat up, he saw Fleming's hand, he took it and he was helped up.

"Oh my God" He said after he felt all the pain was over.

He looked up at Fleming. He asked him if he looked anything different, Fleming did not answer him, but he didn't need to, the look on his face was enough.

He wanted to look into the chest's water to see what he really looked like now, but he couldn't for he remembered the warning -that too much greed could be his undoing and he could end up like the poor old coot who had taken his place in the tower of London.

Fleming and him decided after much thought that they would throw the chest's waters, Cahpuys never looked at his reflection, even when he dumped all of the water on the ocean. The ocean took the chest away, nobody would know the gifts of those waters, nobody would feel its blessing ever again, it would end with Chapuys.

Thanks, he thought ironically, that he was thanking that pirate for this gift he had been bestowed on by his revelation.

Fleming and Chapuys after they dumped everything except the key, walked back to meet Raphael. As they had expected Raphael had already dozed off and the sun was setting, that could only mean good luck, for not many ships traveled on night and if they did it would make it harder for them to stop them, though it could also prove dangerous since how would they know if a big naval ship was heading their way?

Fleming said he would take care of it.

Chapuys wanted to laugh when he saw the surprised look on Raphael's face when he saw his former master's appearance.

After they had finally gone back to Spain, Fleming said they would keep the ship, Chapuys having been to Spain, he told he knew of a place, a port nobody really used where they could hide it, until they would have use for it again.

Raphael was glad to finally reached another guest house, one with more comfortable mattresses he said to Fleming where he would finally have a good night sleep.

That boy, Fleming shook his head in disapproval, he was still an amateur, how in the blazed had managed to survive all of their recent voyages was one of life's many mysteries.

While the two slept, Chapuys took the opportunity to stand in front of a mirror, it was small but good enough for him to see his reflection, he waited one second and then he saw lowering it to his mouth. There were no longer lines of blood under his chin and then his eyes they were bluer than before, his nose no longer filled with blood and as he looked at every inch in his face he saw that his beard was regaining his old color from youth, dark brown and his hair as well. There was no sign of gout either, he looked down and his gout had disappeared, his hands were not covered in blood.

Eustace wanted had the urge to laugh, feeling triumph because of his transformation, but he pressed his lips tightly against each other when he heard the snores coming from his two companions. He decided not to boast on his success, he would wait for it later when he would finally have the gold of Spada, and he would have all the tools needed to finally inflict damage on his enemies.

* * *

**_A/N: Next chapter will be the end of the first part of the story, don't worry it is not completed yet it wil continue, but next chapter will be a low blow to chapuys._**


	6. An era ends: there was never any hope

**A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.**

**FIRST OF ALL TO ALL REVIEWERS CHAPUYS THOUGH YOUNGER, AFTER HE REACHES, I HAVE EDITED THAT PART, THE AGE OF 32 HE WILL BEGIN TO AGE AGAIN, THE FOUNTAIN WE WILL SEE LATER WORKED DIFFERENTLY ACCORDING TO THE INVIDUAL.**

**And here is Chapter 6 where Chapuys realizes a hard truth.**

* * *

_"Just walk away you already know the deal_

_Just walk away make it easy on us both_

_Just walk away there was never any hope_

_Just walk away pretend that none of this was real"_

Eventually the time came when they left for Savoy, his old home, under his leadership as always they landed on one of the oldest places, unexplored since the time of the old Roman Empire for more than one thousand years. It was very far from his childhood home.

He reassured Fleming, who much to Chapuys' annoyance he was becoming just as paranoid as Raphael (whom he also reassured), for the tenth time as they went to "hunt" for the gold of the old Captain Spada that there would be no Imperial troops here. This territory had been unexplored for more than a millennia, and the only people who had come here had been his family when he used to play with his older brothers, especially with Phillbert and his good old friend Eleanor Rigby.

He didn't tell them about Eleanor, there was no need to, that was a part of his life he was not ready to share with anyone, and by anyone he meant it. The death of his old childhood friend was still a very hard subject for him as was the death of all his family. He was the last of them, the last Chapuys.

That was a sad commentary, his mind told him, in it of itself.

Sad is as sad goes –his mother used to say. He pushed her away from his mind, as he did all of his family's memories as they reached as was instructed in the back of the map an old hill. There were ruins, he guessed, Chapuys did, that they belonged to the old gauls, the pagan savages that had been here long before the Romans or God knew who, he was never good at the history of his own place.

As they descended the hill they noticed other hills and a river near, the color of turquoise just as he had remembered it, the sun was making the water seem like it possessed beautiful gemstones. He sighed, how he had missed all this beauty.

Fleming looked carefully at his old friend. "Eustace?" He asked carefully. "You alright?"

Eustace nodded, and so they continued their quest, after much had passed as they had crossed where the map said, the came to an arch made of stone, it looked very ancient. Eustace didn't care he passed it despite the Latin warning it said on top along with ancient runes, the runes of course they did not understand, but the Latin inscription it said 'passengers of the living beware'.

It was a good thing that Raphael did not remember too much of his Latin, otherwise he would have gone running.

Eustace after he passed the arch realized there was another hill hidden below and there was a cave there, they went inside. Both his former servants had been noticing how in the past two weeks their former master had been getting healthier and if possible even younger. His hair was no longer gray, slowly each day it was turning from light gray to dark brown and his beard as well. His eyes seemed bluer and his skin no longer had the imperfection he used to have.

Because his leg was no longer afflicted when they reached the cave and they saw that there was water underneath and noticed that something very shiny, gold they concluded with open chests was there waiting for them, Eustace dived towards the open chests. Raphael seeing all that gold, it made his fear and cowardice disappear and replaced with greed and ambition, Fleming as well though he showed it less than Raphael.

They both dived forward following Chapuys and began to spread all of the golden coins, the crowns, the jewels, everything into the air as they reached the surface again.

Raphael screamed in excitement, this was more than they had asked for.

But, suddenly he and Fleming wondered, how would they transport all of this back? They had taken two small boats when they had crossed the river, but the boats were not going to be enough to support all the wait of more than twelve chests, they would sink. They could transport four at most, and even that would cause too much trouble, too much weight for the small boats.

They decided to take the risk after Eustace had told them that they would take only three.

They nodded and began running for the boats, Chapuys staying inside the cave waiting meanwhile for them to come. It took them no less than five minutes when they came with the small boats, they loaded three chests, heavy as they were, the boats seemed as though they would support the heavy cargo.

"This is great … we are all wealthier than the King of England … wow" Raphael began saying too excited to stop; he failed to notice his former master's serious face staring at empty face, his gaze unfocused.

"Master I mean sir" Raphael continued finally turning to his master, "sir, sir, hear me"

Eustace finally turned to his younger companion.

"You are wealthier than every English Lord or Spaniard that I have ever met, what do you plan to do with this wealth?" He inquired completely interested.

Fleming normally would not pay attention to Raphael's question but seeing the unfocused stare of his old, well now younger friend's eyes he turned to Eustace as well eagerly awaiting his answer.

"Sir?" Raphael pressed, the grin still plastered on his face. "What will you buy will we start a new life?"

Typical of Raphael to say we rather than I. The poor boy could never think for himself anyway, Eustace's mind reminded him. He smirked at him and then as he saw Fleming's questioning glance he smiled sardonically.

"Revenge"

"What?"

"You heard me Raphael. I want revenge, I my enemies to suffer as I have suffered, I want them to see everything they have loved ripped from them."

Raphael narrowed his eyes for the first time, his eyebrows then knitted in confusion, not fully understanding the heavyweight of what his former master's words meant.

Fleming opened his mouth but was silenced quickly by Chapuys' voice which had turned deathlier as he began to call on all of his enemies.

"The Emperor, Anne Boleyn, the Prince of Wales, the Princess that brat, the King of England, the Boleyns, Cromwell, Cranmer, Audley, the Duke of Suffolk everyone who is associated with the King and the Emperor, I want them to see their world ripped apart as mine was"

"But you can't do it easily Eustace, even with your appearance they would all know who you are, and if we suddenly show up with these large chests on your old State in Louvian or worse in Antwerp which was one of the largest ports of entry that many international merc-"

"Spare me the lecture Fleming I know" Chapuys said scowling at Fleming for giving him yet another boring history lesson.

"Then you know that they will notice something is off, you have become young but that does not mean you are Immortal, forgive me but me and Raphael we're not willing to take the risk. Like it or not" Fleming said walking to the rock where Eustace was seated. "we are all in this together, but you have to wait, and I do mean really have to wait. The King of England will get what is coming to him, if you really want revenge you must wait until he is old, weary, and until they can not recognize your appearance"

"I am not going to let the years pass, in those years sh-I mean the Lady Mary she could be dead, her life forsaken" Chapuys said brusquely.

Fleming thought –so this what this is about? The Lady Mary, not revenge for what was done to him, but what was done to her. All of this trouble just for one woman? It seems as if Eustace had been cursed by what he hated the most: care for another, and he would never acknowledge it but Fleming could see right through his soul.

"Eustace they will never forsake her. She has been forsaken by her cousin, the Emperor, and the Pope, she is no longer a threat and you know what we heard in Spain that Cromwell wants to use her now apparently since she signed the Oath for his own plans to establish a German alliance. I hear the King's youngest daughter" Fleming said careful with his choice of words since he knew how his master felt about anyone calling his worst enemy, Anne Boleyn's daughter, Princess. In his mind it was the Lady Mary who was the rightful Princess not Elizabeth.

"is being betrothed to the Prince of Asturias and his son to some Portuguese Princess, that leaves his first daughter. As a woman and the King's daughter it was only a matter of time before her father used her. She is being betrothed to an impoverished Duke I hear, Phillip Wittelsbach is his name. You heard this too Eustace prior ot arriving here on Spain, the papers have already been drawn and they are going to be signed. Whether he is worthy of her or not is of no importance, she will be wed and there is nothing you can do. She would recognize you in an instant if you were to march there even now with you loosing a years off your appearance." Fleming said stressing the ugly truth between the former Princess and the Duke of Bavaria's betrothal.

Chapuys looked into his friend's dark green eyes. He was right, Fleming was right and he hated that man for being right. Why did he have to see right through him, why did he have to be so smart? Why couldn't he be as clueless or useless like all English servants, mindless drone like his comrades? Alas, Fleming was so far the smartest English man he had ever encountered, the only one in fact he thought sourly.

He lowered his gaze as he thought of Fleming's last words.

_There is nothing you can do ..._

The true Princess had been demoted by her own cousin and the Pope , as well as popular opinion now as _Lady _Mary; she was being forced into a marriage to a man beneath her station. She could have been betrothed to the Prince of Asutias herself instead of that brat, she could have been Queen of France, or Empress of the Holy Roman Empire if her father had only paid her full dowry when she had been betrothed to his former master. She could have been so much more ... but it seemed that every time something good was about to happen to her, there was always fate (God) and her father intervening to block her from happiness.

He felt powerless, for all the treassure he had at his disposal, and perfect health, he could use none of these to stop the inevitable from happening.

If he were to be discovered ... he wasn't sure yet just what were the full effects of the Fountain on him. For all he knew he could begin to age again, or worse still be mortal. All these weeks searching for eternity, youth and richness to become caught, were not worth it. They had to plan slowly ...  
This plan would take time, a lot of time to go into effect. He couldn't exact his vengeance, he realized, not on the state of things the world was in. They would be discovered, however if he were to wait …

His body was growing younger, and as the map said his body would stop aging by the time he physically turned twenty three, at that point he would start aging again though slower than usual. He didn't know what slow meant, but they, the three of them that is, could use that to his advantage.

He would wait, he said to himself mentally. He would wait years, decades and when the time came he would exact his revenge on all of them starting with the Boleyns.

Meanwhile they were all going to take these chests back to his childhood home. It was pretty much abandoned, nobody really knew that this had been his home. They could start from scratch there, they would hide the chests, hire servants, people they would supervise closely, especially by Fleming who knew how to speak French, Italian, Latin and of course English.

Raphael knew little about languages, he only knew three which in Savoy would be enough for now.

So that is how the years went by. After they had transported the three chests to his childhood home, they had began to hire servants, only three at first, closely supervised by Fleming and Raphael. The chest money was used to buy several cottages nearby the property. As the years passed the glory of the old Chapuys home was restored, and not only that but they had traveled after a decade in Savoy to Annency where he had bought three large states from merchants and old nobility that had declared themselves bankrupt and in need of money. The nobles had been very proud, they didn't want to leave their homes, but when Raphael, who had matured a lot since the last decade, only needed to present them with all the coins from one of the chest and the nobles immediately gave the titles to him.

Meanwhile in England as a decade had passed Mary had borne three children. A former Princess she had reluctantly agreed to marry the Duke of Bavaria. He was after all from an impoverished branch of the Wittelsbachs and the Bavaria Dukedom seemed to be nothing but a burden on the Duke who every property and fortune he inherited he soon lost because of his poor administration skills. Yet in the first year before their marriage, when his courting for her began, she had grown to see past the opportunist image that others painted of him, and saw the man behind the mask.

He was sweet and honorable and she fell for this image that when he proposed to her, and her father said yes she accepted. What had made her really happy was the look on that awful woman's face, Anne Boleyn, when she saw the pleased look on that was on her stepdaughter's face when Phillip said his vows to her on their wedding day with full honesty.

Unlike her father, Anne's husband, Phillip would never cheat on her, he would never betray her. They had consummated their wedding night that same day, the could not wait. Deep in her mind she had remembered, she didn't know why, that old ambassador who had always been kind to her, who had always believed in her. She had imagined his face on the crowd of guests at her wedding, sitting there in front smiling at her and saying that he was happy because she was happy.

Alas, he was not here, God knew what had happened to him, but wherever he was she hoped that he was okay and that God was protecting him.

It was a month after their consummation that she had found out she had fallen pregnant, the whole Kingdom celebrated and though Anne and the Boleyns were not all that happy, they didn't have reason to worry since to the eyes of the world she was illegitimately anyway, she would never get a chance of inheriting the throne, but somehow she was content with her life with Phillip.

Phillip had vowed to worship her and he had fulfilled his promise. He was two years her senior, he had been twenty 25 and she twenty three when they had their children, twins –two boys.

They had been very happy and their father as well, there seemed to be almost a hint of regret when Mary had added to his grandson's birth the phrase "two perfectly male heirs for Bavaria" Probably her father had been dwelling on whether or not it had all been worth it, divorcing her mother to marry Anne who had only given him one son and one daughter. Though Prince Hal (as he was affectionately called) was a healthy son, he was only one son, his father wanted more, he after all had been a second son and he knew how delicate and fragile the Tudor Dynasty still was.

Just imagine, Mary had thought after the birth of her twins, if he had left me as his heir, I would have given England two heirs, two future, possible Kings. But alas, her father was always impetuous and very impulsive like his wife, in fact both were made for each other based on their temper, she thought bitterly. Yet though she would never forgive Anne for all the havoc she had caused in her life, for her husband's sake and her children she had gotten along with the woman in the last years of her father's reign.

It was when her daughter, her last child turned five years old when glorious news came. The year had been 1546. For the last five years her husband had made a name for himself in Bavaria where he had returned with one son, a son whom he had commended to his most trusted servants, servants whom Mary had met and she had ordered some of hers to accompany Phillip on his way to Bavaria.

On his way there, he had received marvelous news that the title of Elector Palatine would go to him. It was supposed to go to Otto Henry his brother but because he had died and their uncles as well, including Duke John Henry II of Simmern, Hannuint and the Rhine all of these possessions were passed on to him and rumors were that King Frederick was ready to make him his successor.

Phillip upon finding out about this was not sure what to do, he wrote to Mary that he was scared, but Mary told him nonsense. She had been his motivation when he decided that he would take on all these new titles and during this time the Boleyns could not believe that their plan had turned against them. They had planned to marry the Lady Mary to Duke Phillip, a poor and impoverished Duke yet he was now Duke of almost every reformist's territory and not only that he was ready to transform Bavaria into the great territory it used to be before him.

As a result he had created a new title unto himself, he was no longer Duke but all the Lords agreeing they had turned him, with King Frederick III's approval into King of Bavaria.

That made Mary Queen of Bavaria, not in her own right as she would have hoped but Queen nonetheless. But like everything in her life her feeling of triumph was short lived when news of her father's death reached her ears. Phillip had not been there, too busy making preparations for her coronation as his Queen Consort and future Regent in his absence.

She had rushed to Westminster where her father was being mourned, with her second born son, Bavarian Prince John Henry Wittelsbach and her youngest the Princess Mary Eleanor.

The time of the tyrant, she thought, had ended and now the reign of King Henry IX, her half sibling and the woman whom in her mind would always be the harlot, had now began. At sixty her father had died and at fourteen her half sibling had been turned King, in his eyes she saw the same madness as her father had.

"God help us all" She muttered as the new boy King passed the crowds after he had given a rather long and dull speech of how great his father had been to all nations, and especially to his own, always conscious of what needed to be done and always worried for the welfare of his people.

Mary mentally smirked. Her father, what had he done but made very woman in England tremble with fear after he had set aside his first wife, a wife who had been nothing but loyal and good to him for more than twenty years, she thought angry seeing now the harlot throwing crocodile tears at the sight of her husband. The casket had been open for everyone to see the face of their King, their past liege.

She wanted to scream at the harlot it was all your fault, I could have been Queen, my sons could have been more than just heirs to Bavaria and the Netherlands, they could have been heirs of England, my birthright, and she was about to scream at her had it not been for the little hand tugging on her mother's dress.

"Mom" a voice said below.

The King of Bavaria's consort turned below to see her daughter's dark grey eyes. Mary Isabella, a Bavarian Princess, beautiful as Mary had been, she was the only one of her children who had been borne without the strong Wittelsbach traits. There was only Tudor and Tratasmara in her. Everyone who looked at her would say that she behaved with a grace that even surpassed the Princess Elizabeth. Her aunt had not been jealous, in fact she had been very proud to be Aunt of a girl so beautiful, she had said and that her niece was the spitting image of Mary with the exception of her hair which was even darker than Mary's, the only Wittelsbach physical trait she had inherited from her father.

"Yes" Mary said silently to her. "What is wrong?"

"Are you mad?" Her daughter asked.

Mary let her anger disappear, throughout the years in her father's court she had become a good masker.

"No, I am just sad see, mommy is sad" She said giving her bright daughter a quick smile but she wasn't fooled as her son whose attention was at his mourning step-grandmother the Queen Dowager and the new King, his uncle.

"When can we go to Bavaria? Daddy, he is going to make you Queen" Her daughter said, her voice suddenly filled with excitement as her eyes that held anticipation. She grabbed her mother' hand all of the sudden as the Queen Dowager passed them, she didn't know what it was but Mary Eleanor never felt comfortable around that woman or around her uncle the now King Henry IX. She wanted to go to Bavaria where her mother would not have to bow to anyone, where everyone would bow to her, where she would be Queen and she, Mary Eleanor, would be the highest lady after her mother in her father's Kingdom.

Mary smiled at her daughter, in her eyes she saw herself and oddly she saw the same ambition Elizabeth, her half sister had when she had been very young.

She responded to her ten year old with all honesty, tugging on John's hand tighter so he would turn his attention to his mother, making sure he heard it too. "I don't know, but as soon as your father sends the Ambassador for us, then we will go and we will be reunited I promise with him and your brother Prince Phillip"

Mary Eleanor smiled at her mother, so did the Bavarian Prince her sibling John Henry, they wanted nothing more than to go to Bavaria, especially Mary who yearned to see new places and travel the world as it had always been her dream since hearing her mother's descriptions of what her own mother, Katherine of Aragon had said of her home Country, Spain.

"I hope that is soon then" Mary Eleanor said hugging her mother's hand harder as she imagined the beauty of Germany, all the mountains, the forests, the way her father had described it, it all sounded magical.

Mary the elder, one a princess like Mary Eleanor smiled at her daughter's optimism. How proud would her mother be to see that she had borne three healthy children, and not only her mother … but also …him.

She shook those thoughts off from her head, she couldn't live in the past any longer, she had to focus on the present. For the fourth time she told her conscience that wherever he was, it was sure to be in a better place and in peace for Mary had still considered him a soldier of God even if everyone said to the contrary. No matter how he had been painted as the villain, Mary Tudor would always have a special place for him in her heart.

She looked up at one of the stained windows which depicted Mary Magdalene being saved by Jesus.

She imagined herself suddenly being that same Mary Magdalene and that Jesus was Chapuys saving her from the rocks thrown at her by the Boleyns and her father.

"Mum?" Her daughter asked again.

"I am fine Mary I am just tired" She said sounding more convincing this time as her eyes traveled to her swollen stomach. She was seven month pregnant into her third trimester. She was thirty five and this could very well be her last pregnancy, Phillip had told her to be extra careful and she said that she would but truth was that as much as she loved England, she wanted, for her own safety and that of her children, go to Bavaria as soon as possible but due to her pregnancy she couldn't until the child was born.

She was worried. If this was a boy, what would the Boleyns do? The second in line after the King was Princess Elizabeth, but her betrothal to the the Prince of Asturias had been broken at the last minute over matters of her dowry, and the French Ambassador Marillac had seen his opportunity here (after his fall from grace nine years ago when the war against France because his nation had supported the Turks, something her father had never tolerated, much to thei ire of his wife) to redeem himself and propose a betrothal between the Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Orleans Charles de Valois. Now that the King Henry VIII was no longer in the way, and with Cromwell having no sway over the new King, Hal now Henry IX would surely agree.

Triumph would be written all over Anne's face, but alas there was still a problem. Though Elizabeth was very young, and fertile there could be a possibility that she could not be, and if she had no children of her own and neither did Hal then people would appeal for Mary. Though a recognized bastard she was now Royal. After she would bear her fourth child she would move back to Bavaria where she would be crowned Queen and recognized as the official Duchess of the others territories as well as Regent in the case of her husband's absence, that was going to give Mary too much power, especialy if her unborn child were to be another male.

She tried to smile harder after everyone left the room. It was time for them to go. Though her son demanded why they had not paid their respects as the Royal Family did to his grandfather, Mary said that they couldn't because she felt very bad. Her son seeing the worried expression on his mother's face had said nothing, like the old Ambassador that she now remembered again, he was very observant and he knew when to stop.

After they traveled back into their Quarters at the Palace, her son slept next to his mother, while Mary Isabella fell asleep on her mother's armchair while she finished reading on several texts like Luther and Sophocles. Her mother didn't like it that her children were reading what she still felt was heresy, but she had agreed since her marriage to Phillip and the birth of her children, that they would let their children decide rather than shoving religion down their throats, though at times she couldn't help but feel it was still wrong.

Susan Claverioux stayed outside her friend's, along with Jane Dormer, bed chamber. The living room had a large couch enough for one person to sleep. Susan and Jane took turns watching over their friend every night, they felt very strongly against leaving their friend and Queen alone, especially when this was England and death was becoming very common.

While Mary and her children were peacefully sleeping, in another part of the world, there was in Annency a new man who had styled himself with a new name and whose physical age was now of a thirty two year old man who had been preparing (and was still preparing) all this time since his "escape" for revenge. The world was too small for his enemies. He told to Fleming whose age was becoming more noticeable as was the once young Raphael, than in less than ten years they would make their appearance to the world, starting by England and Germany. He had been studying his enemies very well, the number one of his list that he would leave for last would be the Queen In Waiting of Bavaria, Mary Tudor.

All this time, Mary Tudor, the woman he had obssesed for, and he had admitted to Fleming four years ago that he loved her. But what did she do? She went and married a man she should have considered a heretic, and now she was going to be the first heretic Queen of Bavaria and her sons and daughter as the child waiting in her belly heirs. All this time, nothing he had done ... nothing had been worth his time in that rotten cell.  
He didn't realize that he had let two tears slip from his eyes when he realized that he had loved her. This was the last straw, the last straw indeed.

For ten years he had hoped to hear news, good news that the true Princess had escaped, that she had lived and that she had rejected the Duke of Bavaria's proposal but alas fate had other plans for her.

Not only did her father practically forced her into the marriage, but cupid's arrow had found its way to her heart making her fall in love with that heretic. He had tried to convince himself for ten years after he heard the news that it was not true but it was, and after a decade of becoming younger he had began to age, he noticed again, though normally.

Now that he looked on the mirror he no longer saw the young man of thirty two from five years ago, instead he saw the man that was very near forty. Ten more years give or take, he thinks grimly, and when I plan to exact my revenge. It will be as if they saw a ghost on England, the face of when I first came to England to propose a marriage with my (then) colleague Mendoza for the Princess Mary and my former Master.  
I will be the same age, Eustace whispers to himself. The water fountain clearly worked differently as that pirate had said on every individual. Chapuys motivated by something other than revenge he had been allowed to be cured, but after he had realized the truth he began to age back, not slowly or quickkly but normally. In ten years or more he would be in his forties, he would be the same Ambassador that Katherine of Aragon had first met, and the same one Anne Boleyn had first seen when they had not yet been enemies.

How he yearned to see that witche's face again, to see her son's face, the King. Word was it that he was not a good administrator and that he would loose money quickly, in fact the Princess' husband, the King of Bavaria as he styled himself now, along with other titles he had acquired through his relative's death, was a poor administrator as well but he had the luck of having good counselors who were also loyal, something that was very rare to come upon these days. If Chapuys could find a way in the next decade to take his advisors away, aim at both Kings' egos to dismiss their councilors and replace them for useless ones ...

He could get away with it, he had to be careful though not to get caught especially by the Queen of Bavaria who was sure to recognize him.

* * *

**A/N: Will Eustace learn to forgive or will he go ahead with his revenge?**

**Chapter will be having more mature contenct as we keep moving into the climax, don't worry there is still much to see and surprises ahead and I have given already enough clues in the chapters I am not going to say more.**

**The faster you review, the faster I update.**


	7. How they remind them

**A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.**

**Thanks to everyone, and to newcomer Humpy, this chapter is for all of you who have reviewed! Keep doing so!**

**Song is How you remind me by nickelback one of my favorite pop rock bands of all time, the song is broken into pieces, not all lyrics are included only the ones that fit here. Hope you enjoy I really recommend you listen to this song while you are reading this chapter.**

**Thank you and enjoy!**

**~Marcela**

* * *

_"Never made it as a wise man_

_Couldn't cut it as a poor man's stealing_

_tired of living like a blind man"_

_**1551**_

Her father had been buried two months ago, and she was due at any moment. She was supposed to lie in, her confinement had already started and she dreaded being locked up inside this heavy walls of Hunsdon again. She much preferred Woodsham Walter Manor at this point. Not that it was bigger than Hunsdon, but compared to the poor conditioning of Hunsdon, Woodsham was way better.

Woodsham had an ancient history, was much older than Hunsdon and the walls were of the most expensive wood as well as the rocks, they all had a history, since Eleanor of Acquitaine and her quarrels with the infamous mistress of Henry II, Rosamund Clifford. Unlike the harlot Anne Boleyn, one good thing could be said of the old Lady Clifford. She was not ambitious and she harbored no ill will against England's rightful Queen -Eleanor of Acquitaine or as she is still known in English History as the Duchess of Acquitaine. The English were proud as they were arrogant, Eleanor had known this when she became their Queen. They expected the world to bow at their feet, they ambitioned big and they had been mad with Eleanor in the end when she had not given their King, her husband control of Acquitaine, her Kingdom in her own right. Even the people of Acquitaine had seen this and they had been mad at Eleanor for having married a proud, and hot tempered King.  
Perhaps Rosamund Clifford came as a blessing in disguise when Eleanor found out about her and the her bastard children, all offspring of her husband's. Mary found the walls of Woodsham much more comfortable than Hunsdon, because those walls had once been visited by Eleanor, and Eleanor had been a strong woman, who like her mother was not afraid to defy her husband as long as her conscience was at peace.  
She was one of the few consorts whom English loved and hated alike, and yet Mary found her in the last months of her pregnancy with her fourth child, liking her.

She was a foreigner like her mother had been, and yet she had never given up for her children, she loved them all, some might argue that it had not been the case with her youngest, future King John I but Mary thought differently. Reading more of her chronicles this was a woman who always ruled her life and her household with her conscience, and her heart, just the way a true Lady and a woman of her calibre should. And by her calibre when Mary thought of Eleanor, she thought of herself as well.

All her life she had been prepared to be the next ruler of England after her father, but now her father was dead, and the new King had been crowned, her half sibling, King Henry IX. In her mind he and Elizabeth would always be bastards, despite of what the pope and popular opinion said of them. Mary had been born first, she should be Queen. It should be her crown and her court, not his crown and his court!

Yet there was little to be done now.

Besides, she told herself as she lied surrounded by the white walls inside her confinement chamber, I will soon be Queen in Bavaria, though not a ruler in my own right like Phillip, I know I will be influential to his goverment for Bavaria is a land where women's opinions as long as they carry wisdom and approval by their husbands are accepted. And my advise has always been accepted by Phillip, because to him I am his equal and I am sure that when the people of Bavaria see me, unlike Eleanor they will love me, and it will not stop there.  
I am sure Simmerm, Hannuit, the Rhine and the territories that Frederick III holds will also be swayed for inside me beats the heart of a ruler as much of a warrior.

Inside her chambers were Susan and Jane Dormer, the latter Mary had been distrustful at first but she had proven to be a confidant lady in waiting, and as her husband had become King and (recently) Elector Palatine (a letter arriving a week ago had confirmed Otto and John Henry II's death therefore leaving Phillip as Elector Palatine and ruler supreme of their territories) Susan had risen as Chief Lady In Waiting to whom was soon to be Queen of Bavaria, Mary Wittelsbach nee Tudor.

Susan could not be prouder, she always knew her Princess and greatest friend would rise up high, it was only a matter of time before she did become Queen. Queen unofficially, since she still needed to be crowned but it was only a matter of time, soon after her child was born her half sibling would grant her passage to Bavaria where she would meet Phillip and be reunited with her firstborn, the Prince.

"Do you think my brother will let me go?" Mary asked.

Susan eyed her Mistress carefully. Much had changed since when she had first met Phillip and married him. Back then her hair had been long and flowing freely with curls bumping on one another. It had been Tudor red though with the years it had become darker almost pale brown, but still there was no sign of grey in her, and it was an accomplishment for a woman who was now thirty five (past her prime) years old and still pregnant at that!

How different would things have been if Phillip had never come to England, if she would have never married and still continued to be Anne Boleyn or her sister's maid, not even a lady in waiting she had been but a mere maid, even the maids were allowed to make fun of her! It was humiliating, but thank God, thought Susan, that she found Phillip and that Phillip though a heretic had been able to woo her and marry her in spite of the Queen's protests. He had given her what Mary always wanted, a life free of her father and her tormentor, her stepmother and most of all he had granted her the gift of motherhood.

She had three beautiful children and soon, both Susan adn Mary thought, there will be a new addition to the House of Wittelsbach and Tudor.

Susan looked straight into her mistress' eyes, nodding first and then straightening up as she remained seated next to her Mistress' bed in the armchair, she responded: "I think His Majesty would find it very unwise if he did not. He cannot risk war with Germany Mary, he already has France against him after your father went to war against that Country many times."

Mary grinned, experience had changed her friend, it had made her wiser. She had a point. Her brother could not risk going to war with all of Germany and France at the same time, it would be too much, especially when it was rumored that the Turks wanted to turn against them for having supported the Empire.

Then a thought ocurred to her that opaqued all that Susan said.

"What if the Empire demands that I do not be turned over to Bavaria or to Cleves? My cousin stopped supporting me Susan when my father begot my brother, and we all know Phillip II as his bastard brother would never let any Protestant nation be allied with England. My brother is not an arduous reformist like his Governess and Godmother the Lady Neville. Lord Cecil has his doubts about His Majesty's sincerity to the Reformers' cause."

Susan's gaze fell, her friend as quick minded as always brought another important topic at the table, one Susan had not considered at all. The Holy Roman Empire and Spain.

King Phillip II was King of Spain and had inherited most of the new world's riches, and his uncle Ferdinand was Holy Roman Emperor and the Spanish Netherlands were still a powerful threat to be considered, especially when Phillip had all of the new world's wealth.

"The King, my nephew in Spain as well as my cousin the Holy Roman Emperor will not stop until they have the church regain control back of Netherlands, Germany and England of course. We know France is already falling quick victim to the calvinists, can you believe they have plundered, kill and yet they call themselves victims?" Mary asked continuing with her lengthy monologue as she kept pondering on the possibility that her brother might not never let her, or her children leave England.

"I don't want to think what could happen if Germany allies itself with another enemy, or worse if they ally themselves with France. It is not that I find all of the French apalling, but it is not what my mother would have wanted and it would only cause more bloodshed." Mary finished leaning back against her large white pillow.

Her friend looked back up at Mary's gaze which was now focused at the front of the room. Lately it was how it would be, Mary would gaze at nothing in particular, just staring blankly into open space, many thoughts going around the head, thoughts that only Susan was left to guess how grave they could be to leave her best friend lost in space.

Susan however interrupted her thoughts this time as she leaned forward, putting her hand on top of Mary's.

"I don't think you will have much to worry about. The King may be pragmatic and he may not care much for you or his niece and nephew, but he cares for his people. Much as I hate to say it" Susan said with a tone that carried annoynace "he loves all of England, and he will not risk having England become bankrupt. He wants to be a ruler like his grandfather Henry VII and be remembered like Henry V, he will not let you stay here. But I pray for our sake that the babe inside you is a daughter" Susan finished squeezing her friend's hand lightly.

Mary felt Susan's warmth, and it not just irradiated from her hand, but also from the concern in her eyes as they met Mary's dark grey.

Grey met dark green and Mary understood the gravity of her words. If the child inside her was a boy, then all hell would break loose.

The King was not yet married and he needed to be. The Princess, her only sibbling she had been close to was not married either, and she seemed to have no desire to be, though she seemed very interested in the affairs of her Kingdom. She was married to England, Mary realized, much as her brother seemed to be married with the Island as well. If they had no offspring everything would go to Scotland (something the English could not fathom since in their minds, if one things was much worse than a foreigner, was one of their own Island, especially a Scot).

That could never happened, so the throne would be moved to Mary and subsequently her children by Phillip bringing Germany and England together, forming an Empire.

Only if God wills it, only if God wills it -she thought.

Of course that would be the last thing that the other nations in Europe, Protestant of her faith would want. She was a true Catholic, she had married Phillip but under the promise that he would never try to change her religion and he had always kept that promise. Her children were educated in both religions so when they got older they would decide. It had always been very important for Phillip and Mary to let their children decide on their own, to let them think on their own for that way they could become better rulers of their Kingdom and their Household, as well as parents. Mary's religious beliefs were never discussed with Phillip, they always put their beliefs aside for the sake of their marriage, so far it had worked.  
But if the Kings of Europe decide to bring that subject up with the birth of another son, then she knew that Phillip would go to war with them. He had been very young when he had gone to war against the Turks to defend the city of Vienna. He had been awarded the order of the golden fleece, it had been his proudest achievement, militarly of course. He had great experience and he had the best teachers and councilors of Germany, he would not hesitate to go to battle if it was to rescue his family.

She hoped as her other hand traveled to her swollen stomach, that this would be a girl, that way she could be gone from this Island as soon as possible.

In another part of Europe in Savoy, Chapuys was resting in his largest state yet. He had many mansions now, states, cottages and had business with many merchants. He had establishd an enterprise with them since he saw them to be the future. Many of them though of low birth had been very ambitious, they wanted to climg up the ladder of high society, they wanted to be part of the elite and so they worked themselves day and night. Chapuys had learned a lot in the last decade and finding the best way to increase his fortunes, he had become part of the new free enterprise. Ther merchants were glad to be given money, but as their rules it all came for a price. Sometimes he would ask for his share in return, sometimes he would learn more from them and hire his own men to participate in the new trades, and sometimes he would ask for bigger favors.

It was like playing god, you control men, you control money and you have very little goverment control or regulation, it could not get better than that.

Fleming did not like it of course, he thought that an enterprise and therefore a business with no goverment control or little was very dangerous, because too much power was wrong for one man.

"Is that what you think Fleming? Why didn't you ever protest the late King's rule then?" Eustace inquired as he walked to his Chambers. These days he could run faster than any man, since he drank he had never become sick. It was like his body was indestructable, but he, Fleming and Raphael knew better. Though Eustace had begun to age, slowly but he began to again, they knew that there was a risk he could still be mortal even if his body was completely inmune to any disease. He appeared to be in his mid thirties, in contrast to fourteen years ago when he drank from the holy waters. He had been transformed to a twenty five year old man, but after half a decade he began to age again. It was a strange process, first fast and then slow, very slow, finally three years ago he began to age normally, but his body was still immune to every illness and Raphael and Fleming also noticed he endured more than any man.

In the past he had felt completely sea sick, now he did not, and he had also been a man who would tire easily, even on a carriage or on a litter where no walking would be involved, but now he would walk miles and miles to no end sometimes and he would not be tired. He could lift things heavier than himself more easily than the other servants.

Indeed, while physically in ten years time he would be back to being forty again, his body would have the strength, and endurance of a young man something that for the first time Fleming envied. He pushed that envy away, it was dangerous. He did the right thing, if he had drank from that water he could have had another fate different from Eustace, he could have lived forever or worse end up like that pirate captain. He had lost his family once, he didn't want to live any longer than what God was intending him to in his divine plan.

That was another thing Eustace had changed. God. In the past he had believed in God, even if that belief was based that God was as cynical and a hard thinker like him, he believed, he had faith and all his work was based on that faith, you could say his devotion for Mary and Katherine of Aragon was supported by that faith as well. Now he was an empty shell with no room in his heart for God or any other human being, not even the former Princess.  
He didn't sit as his master did in the sofa at the inner chamber that came before his bed chamber. This was the largest house in all the house. It was fit for a King, Fleming observed. His Master had just moved into this State one week ago. Fleming had never been to this chamber, now that he was he was in complete awe. Eustace had risen higher than most men, and he did not seem to be afraid to show that status by commisioning states like this to be build.

"What I think hardly matters does it Eustace?" Fleming asked his tone carrying a grim affirmation as his look. Now the roles had been switched, it was Eustace who was questioning Fleming and he in turn (Fleming) was the one with an accursed leg and recently he had been told by his master's physician that he had to use this nuissance.

He hated using this, it made him feel like a cripple, but somewhere inside him the voice of his conscience told him the hard truth that he was a cripple, and that he shouldn't be ashamed of it, for no cripple would have done what he had all these years by standing next to his friend, helping him and also helping Raphael a friend whose friendship he deeply valued after Eustace's.

Eustace threw Fleming a smirk. How the wheels of their fates had changed, now it was Fleming who was sick yet still standing, and him sitting comfortably without the worry of every getting sick again or being afflicted by anything.

The pieces had already been placed on the chest. Fleming knew this, yet he was too coward to act unlike him. It was only a matter of time before he decided to use his first piece, the center pawn which took care of the Queen.

"I don't understand you Fleming, maybe that is the whole point that I should not. I control many things, yet the only thing missing is the pawn that will take me straight to the Queen, I take that pawn the room is free to eat her and then capture the King, both of them" Chapuys said darkly his grin only widening as Fleming's eyes hardened with disaproval, his lips pressed against one another, Eustace could see the force in which his teeth were pressed against him. There were things that Flemigns wanted to say to his master, not as a subject but as a friend to stop this madness, but he like Eustace knew that Fleming would not.

"You are digging your own grave" Fleming said, clutching his cane tighter and storming out of the room.

After Fleming left Eustace stood up and went to his bed chamber. There was a chess board there. All the whites and blacks pieces were neatly put together in the right order, yet they all had been carved on top with one, some with two initials or more.

They all represented his enemies, and everything they loved. It was only a question when he would move not whether he would move against them.

_

* * *

_

_"This is how you remind me of what I really am_

_It's not like you to say sorry_

_I was waiting at a different story"_

News had come from England. Phillip quikcly squirmed through all the formalities his brother in law wrote to get to the end of it. He sighed in relieg as he set the letter down on top of his desk. He had been in his study waiting for any news regarding his wife's condition and the gender of their fourth child.

He had been sick with worry that the child would be male. While he should be proud that it should be, he knew the implications if the child was a boy, his brother in law would not let his wife travel to Bavaria to be crowned, and if that had happened, then their youngest sons and only daughter would've been forced to live throught he same fate she had lvied in her first years of servitude to her sibblings.

He put his hands on the table and lowering his head he prepared to pray. He didn't use the old Latin that his wife used, the old ways he had told his new territories and country were over, from now on people would have the liberty to pray in whatever language they wanted and believe to whatever faith their hearts or their consciences demanded. He had intended to be a just ruler, not just for the sake of his people but to impress his wife so she could see that he was more than a Prince or a spoilt King, but a true, responsible ruler.

After he finished thanking God for the birth of another child, another daughter, he separated his hands and went to his drawer where he pulled parchment and prepared to write to the King of England. His brother in law had promised him that his wife and his children were on a ship on their way to Bavaria. To show him his gratitude Phillip would promise him loyalty and friendship as long as it would benefit both their peoples.

Unlike other Monarchs Phillip was not afraid to be blunt with the King of England for the only way to win his brother in law's friendship was through bluntness. The ugly truth was what the king of England liked best in a monarch and in his family.

_~o~_

After Phillip had sent the letter he waited weeks for his wife to arrive to Bavaria. Two weeks but his wife finally arrived. It was a quick trip, he was surprised it had taken little time. Mary was there with her ladies, her chaplain, her confessor, the children's nurses and of course their children.

She was received as was befitting her future station, like a Queen.

Their children were taught to be formal, but when their parents were standing there before them they left all formalities aside, especially his little Princess Mary Eleanor. He knew she was Mary's favorite and she could have been Phillip's too except he felt he had little in common with her, and more in common with her elder sibblings, the Princes Phillip and John Henry. Mary bore no hatred for her brothers, she knew they were supposed to be the favorites of any parents, they were male and she was female, her mother had explained a boy was always more important but as her aunt, the English Princess Elizabeth always told her, that was not always the case, women could be just the same as men if only men let them be.

Phillip after their children saluted their father and their brother Prince Phillip, his namesake, he went to his wife's side, hugging her lightly, not too tight and keeping a certain distance so not to hurt their new child she was carrying in her arms.

The child, Phillip thought, looking into her eyes it is like looking into her eyes, not Mary's or the description of Katherine of Aragon but of my mother. This child bears as much Wittelsbach like all my children minus my sweet Mary.

Mary (elder) called her daughter the pearl of her world, recalling that every time she did she would be reminded of her older days when she had been a carefree happy child, and when her mother had yet not been troubled by the sight of Anne Boleyn or any of that woman's family. She had been her father's pearl and his jewel, she tried to recreate this image with her daughter vowing her daughter would never have to pass what she had to. Mary Eleanor would be a happy child, she would know love, hatred but she would never have to suffer alone like Mary had before Phillip.

Phillip loved the image of their newborn daughter. She was perfect with hair as black as his and skin so perfect that there was no doubt on everyone who had looked upon her that this child would make a great match for any man.

Mary saw the dreamy look on her husband's eyes. Of course he would be mesmerized by this child's beauty. Unlike Mary Eleanor, the Princess who had rosy cheeks and ivory skin as hers, this new child whom had been christened in Westminster with the name of Amelia who had been one of her husband's favorite cousins after Anne of Cleves; Amelia had perfect symetrical face unlike her mother's, like all Wittelsbachs she had dark hair, and soft cheekbones, she was delicate her eyes were light blue-green and she bore more the appearance of a Princess than her oldest sister.

Phillip loved both his daughters, but his eldest child proved to be the image of his wife and while he should be comforted by that, he saw more defiance in those dark grey eyes like his wife than in the soft green of the the five week old babe.

"What is her name?" He sofly asked as he parted from the embrace he had given his wife. Before she could answer, he lowered his lips to hers and softly kissed her.

Their sons made a disgusting face and the youngest, John Henry by three minutes said "Get a room!"

"John" His mother said her tone demanding obedience.

"Yes mother" John said his look going down. It was impossible to beat his mother, she always demanded obedience, yet at times she could be very fun to be with like when his sister was around. For some reason she seemed to favor her above him and Phillip for reasons he could not know. Weren't they supposed to be the elder sibblings? The sons, the heirs of Bavaria and the rest of the German territories their father controlled? While he loved Mary and he felt many times protective of her, he thought that Mary was too carefree and rebellious sometimes as she was ambitious. One day she would leave, surely their mother knew that.

"It is alright boys, but I promise you that one day you will not be finding this too disgusting" The Princes' father said with a wide grin.

John and Phillip, the two ten year olds fraternal twins shared a look of disbelief. They could not imagine one day feeling attracted to girls, that would never happen!

Mary had to resist the urge to shake her head at her two sons' behavior. Too young and very naive, right now they thought girls were disgusting but one day she would see them running after them, after all they both had Tudor blood in them.

"How was the trip?" Phillip asked after the children, including their newborn had been taken by her nurse and the others by Mary's ladies and their servants to their respective rooms.

"Alright, comfortable the ship was spacious but I feel odd leaving England. I have not known anything beyond that" She said once they reached their quarters.

Their chambers were very big, fit for a King and a future Queen.

Mary smiled at the sight of them. Germany was everything he had promised her to be. A rich land with natural beauty, unlike England where the climate was often clouded and ever changing, in Germany the sun shone brighter and it always brought the sign of a promising new day while on England the sun rise was dull and it would not brighten the people's moods, she knew because it was like she had always felt with every sun rise.  
Mountains beautiful and tal and the green grasslands were just beautiful, Phillip could not have picked a greater landscape to build this new State on. He said after they settled down on the big couch in the Inner Chamber of their quarters, that he had comissioned this state five years ago and it had been a very ambitious project but the lords of Bavaria as well as his family had supported this project. Moreso now that he was King this manginificent Castle would serve as an example to their people of his Higher Power.

Mary knew of the importance of building such things, her father had done it throughout all of his life to establish the "magnificence" of his power. Anne Boleyn called it. People loved to have symbols, the tallest the buildings were the greater it made the leader or the monarch, and so far the people had seemed to love Phillip as had been the popular talk in England. Mary hoped that she could be as loved as Phillip for Phillip reminded her of what she really was in this new land, a Queen Consort, just that a Consort.

"What is wrong Mary?" He asked his future Queen putting two fingers on her chin lifting it up so her eyes could meet his worried gaze. He didn't like seeing her this way, worried and nervous.

Mary held a nervous look as his, but hers was not for her spouse but for her. She was being selfish but she had a good reason for it. In England though captive of Henry IX she could be a respected woman, one whose authority was not doubted in her household, but here she would always have to rely on Phillip. This was not England anymore this was Germany but she knew this day would come.

Mary attemped a smile but it did not fool Phillip as he kept pearing into her eyes "Mary tell me what is really wrong, you are never like this unless there is something grave sweetheart." He said carefully hoping not to make her more worried than what she already was.

"When I was in confinement at Hunsdon I thought of Woodsham. You remember Woodsham right?"

Phillip nodded, how could he not remember that place? He hated it! It was old yet for some reason he could not understand why, and he never asked not to get into another argument about her preferences, why she had preferred that state over Hunsdon.

"I do" Phillip said.

"I thought back of that, of the people that had passed through that manor, how people that gone there were people loved and despised and I thought what if I share the same fate as Matilda? What if I am just as despised?"

"Honey you will not. Eleanor was a-"

Mary cut him off "A foreigner right? Like me!" She yelled turning her gaze away from him.

He groaned inwardly. She was going to bring all the topic of foreigners and patriots again. How he hated to talk about that? When was she going to learn Germany was not England, they would never be as xenofobic as that pathetic island!

"Mary darling I love you with all my heart" he said putting both hands on her shoulders "but you really have to be calm and quiet for once and listen to me. No one is going to hurt you in this land, no one is going to see you as a bastard Queen or a foreigner. You are a catholic that may be a problem, but unlike other women or men you haven't done anything to impose your religion on your servants and you will not do that here either. I know you, I know you will make a fine Queen and that the people will love you"

Mary looked at him, he sounded so convincing yet he was so naive. In one week her coronation would come and what would that new crown that he had spent a lot of money would bring her? Remembrance that she was below him? A Princess of the blood with greater lineage far below the King of Bavaria, she, fated to become a Consort?  
No, she couldn't think like that. This was her husband, the only man so far who had treated her with respect and lived to tell the tale of her hardship years she had related to him when they'd met. Mary had had children because of him, children who would inherit most of Germany and hopefully one day God be willing (if her sibblings left no issue) England as well. She should be proud.

She might no longer be destined to be Queen in her own right, but that didn't mean that she should be content with playing only the role of Consort. She would be Queen and she would be one of Phillip's players in his council, a shadow behind his throne and best part of all, Phillip would not deny it to her because as long as they had been married, her council was the thing he valued the most more than their love.

* * *

_"And I have been down_

_into the bottom of every bottom_

_Scream words in my head, are we having fun yet?"_

Time had been passing. Chapuys had been styled himself with a new title. In that short time that he had come into his new title he began to put into effect his plan. As predicted he decided to use all the means and resources that would enable him to move his first pawn.

Meanwhile, Fleming who under orders from his master to visit his states on Antwerps and Annency, had decided to venture further where Raphael had been commanded. Raphael no longer young, now fifty three years old had been commisioned by Eustace to travel to Bavaria where his master had instructed him to take note or better yet memorize every little detail of the land.

The King, the Duke of Saxony had died and Phillip I of Bavaria had become more powerful, twice the King, twice the ruler and many times Dukes he had incorporated many territories under his rule.

Fleming had been helped by Raphael when they stood in the streets of the nearest town watching the Royal Procession, a parade where the Queen, King and their children traveled giving the people alms and bread.

The former Princess of England ever the missionary both men thought as they saw her coming their way. Raphael especially became nervous, what if she recognized them?

"She won't" He reassured his younger friend -"She is much changed as us. I am an old man now with a beard and you my friend are in your fifties so more than thirty years have passed since she saw us."

"You think so because if she recognizes us, especially you ... then" Raphael lost his voice not wanting to imagine careful years of planning suddenly falling apart because of him who had agreed to Fleming's demands that he be brought along.  
He often asked himself why was it he could never say no to Fleming, he could question Chapuys sometimes, rarely but it did happen. But Fleming that was always a no, he had to say yes to everything that man said.

Fleming put a hand on his friend's shoulder carefuly not to lose balance.  
"Raphael just say I threatned you with my cane" He said with a playful grin.

It made his best friend be at ease as he smirked at Fleming's behavior.

"There she comes, acts normal" Fleming said quickly.

As they were ready to lower their heads down, a loud voice rang throughout of all the cheers.

"Mama!" It was an impulsive voice and they both looked up and there she was, the much talked about Princess Mary Eleanor, said to be the favorite of the Bavarian Queen, now they saw why.

Her hair was not as wavy and red-brown like her mother's had been in her youth, her skin was not as pale either. It had a healthier glow, her cheeks were the color or rose pink petals and her eyes, they realized, they were her mother's eyes, dark grey but holding a strong glow as her healthy figure. Inside those eyes they quickly saw the merrier spirit that the former English Princess of Wales once possessed when she'd been a child. The German Princess' beauty was not exagerated as her belevolent nature, she had an earnest smile on her face, and earlier when her back had been turned on them while she was on the other side giving alms to the people, she had hugged and embraced everyone giving more of herself than the other members of her family. Sixteen years and yet by the way she walked and talked, it was like she had been prepared for the life of a Queen.

"Mary you are supposed to look after your sister" They heard the Queen scold her daughter.

"I know mama but Amelia is with her Governess Jane, she doesn't want to be with me, she said so herself and she seems to have much fine with Fraulein Dormer" The Princess declared, she had the same authority in her voice as her mother and grandfather the late Henry VIII, yet unlike the latter she didn't raise her voice or loose her patience like her mother.

Fleming looked more up to have a better look of this Princess. She was like her mother that much he and Raphael had seen, but her moods were different, though she held the same regal and stoic figure as the Queen of Bavaria, but unlike her strict mother she had a more care free atittude and she smiled all the time truly meaning it. She was in full spirits making all the crowd next to her mother melt and smile to her more than they had done for their Queen or the Princess' siblings.

"Let's go" Fleming suddenly said as they saw the Princess look their way.

Raphael agreed and helped Fleming walk away from the crowd.

* * *

_"I have been wrong_

_I have been down_

_Into the bottom of every bottom_

_Scream words in my head, are we having fun yet?_

They had returned to Savoy after that near encounter with the Royal family to inform Eustace.

Eustace listend with attention as they told him of the striking similarities between Princess Mary Eleanor and the Queen of Bavaria. Eustace had not been blind to the descriptions, he had heard about them through his associated and the rumors that came with every merchants ship, but he had never believed them ... Fleming and Raphael though were not just anybody he had to believe them. Eustace found it diffcult to do so. A Bavarian Princess, a German Princess offspring of Phillip the spitting image of the former Princess? No, impossible -he had said to them shaking his head vigorously.

"It is no joke Eustace" said Fleming completely serious.

"Fleming your eyes see what you want to see, she can have the same voice, the same name, the same eyes, but her face? You yourself said you were not very close when she ran to your direction." Chapuys said as he sat behind his study smirking at his companions' descriptions of that German Princess.

It was a naive statement in itself like when his former Lady had attested that her sister Elizabeth was pure and honest.

If anything had still surprised him was human naivety, how easy it was to play puppet master and control them.

"Eustace take yourself off from this game! If you do the Queen harm, you will not only do harm to her but also her children, especially that girl I saw her and believe me she has nothing but her mother in her"

Chapuys rolled his eyes at Fleming.

"Ahh" He said rolling over Fleming's statement. "And next you will tell me that the King of England is just as noble as Richard III when he locked the Princes in the tower?" He asked using his sarcasm.

Fleming ignored that sarcasm and advanced forward towards Chapuys, his cane being gripped tighter until he stopped.

"Old, stubborn fool." He said harshly "You think because now you are entering your forties again that you have the authority to play God? Who are you to judge? Why not just live the rest of your life a quiet existance? Is that so hard for you?"

"Yes it is. I was a servant to the Emperor he let me to rot, he let the Princess to rot and then the Princess fell in love with that man betraying her mother's promise, now she abandons her faith and is the proud Protestant Queen of Bavaria."

"So that is hat bothers you then? That Mary Tudor married a Heretic?" Fleming asked with a demaning tone.

Chapuys was very careful not to lose his patience but a man could only handle so much patience, especially with Fleming's insolence. Years he had let it pass, he had put up with Fleming because he was one of the few rare people he could find that were loyal to him. But his patience was beginning to wear as Fleming raised his voice.

"Maybe it is not His German Majesty that you hate, maybe is not that English King or his family either but yourself! You could have had the chance to remedy everything you did. You could have fired Brereton, you could have done things differently, counseled the Princess to play ball with her stepmother but no instead you decided that her idealism was more important. Why was it Eustace, did you want her to be come the tool of your former master?"

"That is enough"

"It is not _Your Grace_" Fleming said making a complete mockery of his friend's title "Admit it, you could have improved her station, saved yourself a lot of trouble you would not have to be in this mess, having to listen to a crazy pirate lord or having sailed for five weeks to Florida on search for the impossible"

"That is enough I said!" Chapuys bellowed standing from his chair after he hit the table with his hands making Fleming jump in surprise. In all his years he had never seen him this mad, though he was expecting this result.

"I have given you more freedom than any subject, now you abuse that with insolence. I am not going to tolerate it anymore. From now on everything that I do you will not judge. I have a score to settle, and if you can't stand the heat anymore I suggest you stand aside and don't get in my way" He said with a deathly tone pointing a finger at him.

Fleming still surprised, was not completely intimidated. He felt some fear towards Eustace's threat, yet he would not say anything, unlike his friend he knew when when to be quiet, beign English he had been criticized for being arrogant, and presumptious like his country men, and turht was he was. But one thing though that distinguished English from other races was that they were more quick minded, not idealistic fools to religion, they were loyalists but to their own person and their welfare.  
Fleming would play Eustace's game for now, he would follow him, but he would always cross his fingers.

"I will never accept what you are doing, but I will follow you" Fleming siad solemnly.

The way he had said it, it was like he had been walking for a funeral and in a way he was because he was witnessing the slow death of his master's soul.

"That is enough for me" Eustace said later dismissing him and Raphael. After they each went to their respective quarters, Fleming mentally prayed that to whatever was out there, to find a way for his master to recover his lost soul

_

* * *

_

A/N: I hope you like it.


	8. Before the storm

**A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.**

**Thanks to everyone, and to newcomer Humpy, this chapter is for all of you who have reviewed! Keep doing so!**

**Song is How you remind me by nickelback one of my favorite pop rock bands of all time, the song is broken into pieces, not all lyrics are included only the ones that fit here. Hope you enjoy I really recommend you listen to this song while you are reading this chapter.**

**Thank you and enjoy!**

**~Marcela**

* * *

Mary prepared herself for her brothers's eighteenth birthday.

Today was the day when her brother, the oldest would chose a bride. The battle was between their Aunt the Princess Elizabeth and the other Princess Elisabeth from France, Henry II's daughter.

She couldn't understand why was it their father would want to betroth her oldest brother to French Princess, wasn't that supposed to go against their faith? A French Princess, she was probably a catholic and dark Princess like her mother, the infamous Catalina d Medici. Besides, the French Princess Elisabeth was much younger than their Aunt and her brother.

What was the old man thinking?

She had begged her mother never to let her father decide her fate, at least not to France! Her mother had laughed, she said that it was alright she would never let her daughter be betrothed to France, her mother hated the French as much as she did. They had been enemies of her mother's family, her grandmother.

She could understand her daughter's reluctance.

"Mary why don't you go to your brother's chamber?" Mary asked her eldest daughter. Mary nodded and went running upstairs to her brother's chamber. This was Prince Phillip the younger bedroom. Mary never liked coming here, she always thought her brother was nothing but an arrogant prick. Her mother would scold her if she heard her daughter mutter the word under her breath. It was good that her mother was downstairs making sure everything was ready for the Princes birthday party.

"Who is it?" Her brother's voice came from his room.

Mary resisted the urge to roll her eyes and scream "It is me idiot!" Since he was their father's favorite, everything he said her father would believe him. Growing up when she said something she would be the first one to be punished. Her father did not use physical violence, but he would scold her and take away all her toys, all because dear Prince Phillip had said she had insulted him.

They were one year apart and still they could not get along, not after all these years.

They were very different, like oil and water. Phillip was the spitting image of their father, as she was the spitting image of her mother, the only Wittelsbach trait in her was her hair color, it was black like their father, but everything else was from her mother's side of the family, Tratasmara and Tudor.

"It is me" She yelled at Phillip.

She heard Phillip groan. She wasn't too keen on seeing him either. Why hadn't her mother sent Amelia instead? Amelia and Phillip got along (Despite their age difference) very well. Her younger sister was the center of attention besides Phillip of all the family. Everyone loved little Amelia, she was everything she was not. Well behaved, pious, virtuous as her mother boasted and of course a Wittelsbach through and through. She was not rebellious or odd looking as Mary Eleanor.

Because she bore more of her mother's looks, she was not accepted as the rest of her siblings. Her father and mother told her she was unique, but she didn't think so. In her mind she was plain ugly. She was no plain Jane, she looked like an English woman and a Spaniard and that was bad for her because she had no love either for the Spaniards or the English. The latter had ruined her mother's life, and they were very close to ruin hers and John's as well had her mother bore another son. Then there was the Spaniards, though she knew her mother had a close relationship with Spain because of her own mother, Mary Eleanor felt that the Spaniards had caused more harm than the English.

It was because of them that her mother had been made a bastard by the Catholic church, because of them that her mother had lost her faith.

She let these thoughts rest as her brother opened the door to greet her.

"Yes?" He asked annoyed.

"Mama says you should go downstairs now" Mary said her tone imperious.

Phillip just smirked and laughed at her.

"It is no laughing matter Phillip, she is not asking you" She warned completely serious, she crossed her arms annoyed at Phillip once more.

It was like this every day. Really, why couldn't her mother not get Amelia, Phillip would not hesitate to disobey their mother if Amelia passed her message to their older brother. Everyone in this house worshiped those two, Amelia and Phillip. It was like they were Gods or something.

The only one in their family she got along with was her brother, unlike Phillip, John his fraternal twin was not bias nor judgmental. He loved Mary Eleanor and treated everyone in his family the same. It should be him, she thought, who should have been first and not Phillip, John Henry would make a better King than Phillip.

But with three minutes behind, John Henry had been pushed behind the line of succession for the German throne.

Phillip still laughed at his sister's angry stare. She was one month away from being seventeen and yet she thought of herself as a grown up. She styled herself often after Freya the Goddess of love and Thor the God of lightning and King of the Gods and beauty of old Scandinavian mythology.

There was nothing pretty in her nor noble. She was as plain as they could come. Her Spaniard's face, her English eyes and her English body, little and thin like the people of that island. What on earth made her think she could compare herself to the great gods of their ancient people? She didn't even look like their people, she not German, she spoke better English than the rest of them and what was worse she seemed to understand their politics better than him, the future King!

"Would you stop looking at me like I am a midget?"

"I am not looking at you"

"Oh pray tell what you were looking at instead my liege" She asked giving him a mock bow.

"When I am King you are going to married to Lorraine or to some other kingdom far away from here"

Now it was her turn to laugh. "My dear Phillip Lorraine is not really a Kingdom, and next time you want to threaten me I suggest you study on your geography, really I can't bear to think how God could have chosen you to be the firstborn. I did not believe our Holy Father made mistakes ... until now"

Phillip gritted his teeth. If she was not his sister ...

"Be careful sister, when I am King I will not tolerate you and mother will not always be there to protect you" He said advancing towards her a finger flying directly at her.

She was not intimidated.

"When that times come I will be sure to be far away from here, unlike you I will not wait for destiny to come knocking on my door, I make my own destiny Phillip" She said darkly.

Before he could reply she left his presence and went downstairs. Let him come if he wanted, she thought, she didn't care if her mother was angry, she just couldn't stand Phillip any longer.

"Where is your brother?" Mary's mother, the Queen asked her daughter seeing she had come alone. The Queen sighed. "I told you to go get him"

"He didn't want to come" She said simply and walked past her mother. This was her brothers' day not hers, why did she have to attend this party anyway?

She yearned for adventure, to meet someone she could love, she could hold not have an arranged marriage like Phillip. She had heard how her own mother had defied all laws to marry her father, and then her grandmother and great grandmother they had defied everyone to be with their beloved, and though her grandmother's love story ended in tragedy with a broken heart, she had still fought hard for her grandfather.

Why couldn't she be allowed that same story?

Seeing her mother's disapproval she believed less that she could one day find a happy ending like those two women in her family, Isabel of Castilla and her mother.

She was destined to be another political pawn in her father's game to forge alliances, just like Phillip, John and Amelia, except that considering Amelia was her father's sweetheart she would probably get the best deal.

* * *

"What do you mean we cannot travel to Bavaria?" Eustace asked Fleming. He had been planning for years now to use his first pawn against his enemies. He had already mobilized his pieces. He had bought states near Simmerm to visit the Witeslbachs and pays his respect to the Princes who were celebrating their eighteenth birthday.

But here was Fleming telling him they couldn't go yet.

"Why?" He asked once again glaring at Fleming.

Fleming refused to meet his friend's glare. Not that he was afraid, but he didn't want to see his disappointment, because his disappointment meant his own as well.

"The Princess, the boys' aunt will be there and you probably already heard she is one of the Prince's betrothed, and since your plan is not going to see the English Royalty until you first see the Wittelsbach I figured we must delay our plans"

Damn, why did that bastard Princess have to ruin everything? He had planed everything carefully, yet here was the harlot's daughter ruining everything for him _... again._

"How long then?" He then asked.

"We don't have to visit their mansion or luxurious centers. We can have the Wittelsbachs and the rest of the nobility come to us"

Chapuys perked one eyebrow up. "So we don't delay our visit to Simmerm then?"

"No, not really we just delay when we want to meet them, or rather when you want them to meet you. You could send invitations, start rumors that there is a new Duke moving to Simmerm temporarily of course. Because of who you are, I am sure if not the King, he would send either one of his sons as envoys to meet you, he would not let that opportunity to have you as an ally pass Eustace. The King Phillip I wants not only control of all the former territories of the Holy Roman Empire, he also wants alliance with the rest of Europe, he seeks to control everything. He is as greedy as he is ambitious" Fleming concluded. Clutching his cane tighter, he took one step back as another wave of pain hit him.

"You alright man?" Eustace asked. Though Fleming did not voice it, he didn't need to because Eustace could see through his eyes the great level of pain that ran through his body, because of the gout in his leg.

Fleming breathed hard, but he composed himself. Like his master he had become cold, calculate and very proud. He didn't like showing weakness either.

"I am fine"

Eustace did not ask him further. He wanted to for he felt some level of concern for Fleming's affliction but he was a grown man, and every day he was becoming more the spitting image of what Chapuys had been in his "old days" as the Imperial Ambassador in England. Alas, those days seemed so long ago now, this was who he was now, a Duke and a man who had nothing left but revenge in his heart.

"Then we leave next month. Make all the preparations and tell Raphael to make sure that when we arrive the servants and my groom there have already taken care of all the invitations."

"Yes sir" Fleming said and quickly exited the room. He knew his master's orders were over now and he had nothing left to do in his study.

He felt relieved when he reached his chambers.

Fleming had been a great help in these twenty two years. Thanks to him Eustace had been able to cope with himself. He would never admit it but he hated loneliness, since he was a child he had been afraid of the dark because that had always equaled for him solitude. His mother told him not to worry that there would always be a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how dark it might be, but in time his mother's voice had faded and now he could not remember her voice, he couldn't even remember her face. That was just how much obsessed he had become with his vengeance that he could not remember anything of his life prior to his incarceration.

He was going to release hell, to all of them starting with the Wittelsbach King and his sons.

They would all burn as the people they had killed and burned. The English King he would save for last as well as his family.

Nobody on this Earth was innocent, especially him. His hands would be stained with blood but he no longer cared for the Lord's wrath. The Lord as the people he had cared about and worked for had abandoned him, He no longer deserved his respect.

He had been up there in his little heaven, while he, Eustace his once loyal servant, had nearly killed himself trying to protect his true faith and the true Princess, and all for what? So the Princess could smile at the face of her mother's murderess and marry someone that was the opposite of her faith? So he could also see the hypocrisy of the Church he had loved, respected and cherished all these years since his childhood abandon him and the Princess to a cruel fate?

No, he was not going to pray anymore to that God. He had let Fleming, Raphael and the rest of the servants have whatever beliefs they wanted, as long as they would not bring their fingers to the forehead to make the sign of the cross or say the word God in front of him.

* * *

The invitations were soon sent after the boys birthday celebration ended. Two months had passed and the last invitation to the Wittelsbach House arrived.

The Queen opened it. It was from the Duke of Savoy. Savoy, Mary thought. The name brought her bitter memories of a distant past where she had not felt alone during her captivity in her sister's Household at Hatfield. She had been once a Princess and then later she had been reduced as a maid in her sister's Household. Though she still loved Elizabeth, the first year of service had been hell for her, she had hated her sister because her eyes had been her mother's but soon she realized that Elizabeth was not her mother. She was different, even now she could tell. Though both were neurotic with the same temper, her sister was more calculate and cold whereas Anne was so easy to anger and less calculate.

She hadn't known that Savoy had a new Duke. But oh well since the Duke of Savoy had come to Simmerm that could only meant that he wanted to engage in trade or in an alliance of political nature no doubt with her husband.

She would tell her husband right away, but he doubted he would send his sons to meet his new Duke. Much as they loved them, they did not know much who this Duke was and Phillip would probably be more comfortable if he sent someone else instead to represent them.

After she had told Phillip of the letter, her suspicions were confirmed.

"Maybe we should send the Ambassador of Cleves" He began "What do you think?"

Mary nodded slipping under the covers and resting her head on Phillip's chest. "I think it would be wise to also send one of our family to represent us, a trading union with the Duke of Savoy could bring us benefit and you are always talking about the sea being your greatest ambition. Savoy could bring us great benefits. From what I heard when I talked today with your advisers, little is known about the Duke of Savoy, but he has great connections with many merchants and others that could benefit you" She said.

Phillip laughed lightly. He always loved to hear his wife's advice better than his advisers, she was wise as he was cunning.

"I love that, but who will we send? Not Phillip or John Henry. You know they would only cause havoc, Phillip with his womanizing ways and John Henry with his shyness would only make us look weak, no I think we have to play the unconventional this time"

"Oh?" Mary raised her eyebrows. "And who could that be?" She asked with a worried mock tone already knowing the answer.

He wrapped his arms around her. "If she is anything like her beautiful mother I am sure she and the Ambassador would make us proud. Besides why not impress the Duke showing him our daughter's great beauty?"

Mary grinned. She never thought they would have to use Mary Eleanor for this, but it was necessary. Savoy could represent a focal point to their trade and if he had as much contacts as it was said he did then it was important they make him their ally.

"Do you think she could handle it? She is very rebellious, she hardly listens to anything I say and she h-"

"Mary she is just like you, why do you think I am sending her?" He said defending his daughter "She will make a great representative of our Royal Family and she will not be alone love, the Ambassador will be there with her. Besides she is strong willed as her father and wise like her mother, I am sure will do fine" He said lowering his head to kiss her forehead.

Mary felt more at ease with his words. She closed her eyes first and then Phillip finally being invaded by sleep.


	9. Pawn? I don't think so

**A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.**

**This is for all of you have read and reviewed!**

**~Marcela**

* * *

"Herr Orliesger your grandfather served my uncle when he was Duke of Cleves did you not?" She asked the old Ambassador coyly.

She barely got a reply as he looked to the other carriages that were being parked on the mansion of the mysterious Duke of Savoy. As usual they all waited for their lords or ladies to step down from their carriages. Theirs was next.

She snapped her fingers at Orliesger's face.

"Herr Ambassador!" She yelled letting a chuckle escape as the Ambassador stared at her blankly.

"Excuse me what?" He asked completely clueless of the Princess past questions.

"You were drooling like an idiot Orliesger"

He bowed his head. "Excuse me -"

He was interrupted by the high pitched laughter of the Princess Mary Eleanor.

"You should not be apologizing Orliesger, I know you want to live up to your grandfather's name. You will" she said reassuringly "but" then she added quickly right when the carriage had stopped and a man servant outside the Duke's mansion opened the carriage door for them. "if you want to live up to your namesake I suggest you stop sweating like a nervous child, relax Herr Orliesger, a man your stature should always stand out. Remember who you represent, the noble House of Wittelsbach, whatever you do weighs more than my actions" she finsihed turning her head towards the servants who holding out his hand to her.

She thought it an insult for a man below her station to be so bold, but something in those chocolate brown eyes, she couldn't explain it, made her forgive him and accept his gesture.

"Your Highness" He said.

She arched her eyebrows. How did he know who she was? He was after all just a low manservant, but judging by the jewels in his necklace and his colorly collarbone she theorized that he must be one the butler of the Duke of Savoy. If that was the case, then more reason for her to trust her delicate hand in his.

"Very kind of you Herr" she said after she had let him take her hand and stepped down from her carriage.

Count Orliesger followed her. The young man the butler could see was nervous, the sweat in his brow became aparent as he stepped close to where the flames illuminated them. Very bad of an ambassador to act like this. He was a politician, and no politician should expose himself, his Master and friend never had.

"This way Your Highness. Excellency" -Fleming said to the both of them curtsying first to the Princess and then to the young Ambassador. For the latter he hardly bowed, no man this emotional deserved the respect of a highly trained observer who had seen and been through the worst of politics.

Perhaps Eustace was right and the Wittelsbach King did not know what he is doing sending this unexperienced _young man_ into the lion's den.

"This is a very nice State, sorry I didn't get your name" The Princess of Brandenburg as was her royal title said ocassionaly as they passed through the halls of the noble state of the Duke of Savoy. Simmerm had its charm but it did not compare and never could no matter how large buildings her father's subjects erected here to Bavaria or Brandenburg -where she happened to be Princess of.

"Herr Shultz" Fleming said patiently. The Princess had arrived rather late, something that was not in their plans. They didn't expect the Princess would be one for tardyness or that she would bring the worst choice in politicians.

Clearly the Princess had inherited little of her mother's sense of timing.

"Well then Herr Shultz can you tell us if we are to see the Duke soon? My feet are getting rather tired." She said haughtily.

Fleming resisted the urged his eyes though he did groan inwardly. He could not believe that Eustace had charged him to play baby sitter with this Princess. She could not be the same Lady he and Raphael had seen months ago giving alms with the rest of the Royal family to the Bavarians. The Princess they had seen had been very reserved, hyperactive but still much more well behaved than this rebellious specimen behind him.

We all wear masks, he remembered his master's first lesson when he came to be in his service, almost thirty years since then.

The Princess clearly wore many masks.

As they stopped into the Great Hall where the rest of the German nobility and Royals awaited for their host's appearance he got a better look at the Princess of Brandenburg.

Brandenburg, a land that many of the german had envied and many of its nobles sought for the hand for the hand of the Princess because of it. The land was also very rich with lakes and forests and had quite a history. The Princess however seemed to have refused every suitor, Fleming could not see why. The Princess could have any of the most handsome men bow to her feet, but as he looked closer into her eyes as she turned her attention to her partner (Count Orliesger) standing next to her he saw ambition.

Like her mother and her mother before her this woman wanted more than just a simple marriage to a German noble man, she ambitioned for more, she wanted the world to bow at her feet and seeing how the young man next to her had his eyes glued on her, she could easily make, not just any man but, the world bend down at her feet.

The Princess soft laughter reminded him of her mother, but also of her grandfather Henry VIII. Her laughter soft as it was carried arrogance with every word that came from her mouth. She spoke in perfect English and in appereance she looked every inch the English rose her mother had been, with apparent spaniard features like her high cheekbones which both her and her mother had inherited from Katherine of Aragon.  
Her hairstyle unlike her mother's which was usually trapped in a snood or in half a pony tale with a french hood on top, was let loose with a headdress that had a tiara in front and a crown set of jewels, emerald stones, diamons and other precious gemstones behind.  
If he had not seen her before, he could have mistaken her for a Queen, but he was lucky that she bore a striking resemblance with her mother.  
The only thing she had inherited from her father was her black hair.

He heard the trumpets.

All of the guests turned to the giant marble staircase where the servants had sung the trumpets. They let their trumpets down and there emerged another man servant.

Raphael under the guise of one of Chapuys many man servants cleared his throat and with a thunderous voice he announced his Master who was waiting for Raphael to finish.

"Ladies and gentleman" Raphael said in flawless German. Since they had arrived in Savoy he had taken about five years along with Fleming to learn German. It had been difficult a great pain in the neck, but he was a fast learner. He spoke like he was a native of Simmerm using the right dialect and never failing to keep his eyes and mind focused on his Master's guests.

"It is with great honor that His Grace thanks all of you for coming here. He only asks that you enjoy your stay. The moment you all have been waiting for, the man who humbly presents himself, His Grace the Duke of Savoy"

Raphael finished stepping aside as Chapuys emerged from the shadows and surprised everyone by saying in a simple sentence, devoid of emotion and his face expresioneless "Greetings, I thank you all for coming"

After he said it, he heard applause from all of the german nobility and Royals present. His eyes were quick to spot where Fleming was.

His eyes then became wide, after he stepped down making his way downstairs with Raphael following him; at the woman behind Fleming.

_It could not be..._

He was lucky, though luck had nothing to do with it. He was a master of disguise, he never let his guard down. There at the end of the hall very far from the crowd was the exact double of the woman he had once given his life for in the past, the Princess Mary.

His mind quickly reasoned this must be her daughter, the one Fleming and Raphael never stopped talking about when they visited Bavaria. So, he thought, this was Mary Eleanor of Brandenburg? She was as beautiful as they'd said, for once the rumors of a royal beauty were true he realized.

He waited until all the nobles and German Royals finished presenting themselves so he could go to present himself to the young Princess of Brandenburg.

"Master" Raphael said, his voice low and in English. It made more sense to speak in English just in case someone were to notice it they would not suspect anything. After all, since the Lady Mary Tudor had married Phillip, most of their subjects had been forced to learn English since it was the language the Queen would mostly answer them with.

"I kow Raphael" Chapuys said. "And let me say you were right ... for once"

Raphael smiled.

His smile soon disappeared as his master began to make his way to where Fleming and the Princess and the Royal Ambassador were.

"Your Highness allow me to introduce myself" Chapuys said as Fleming stepped aside. He stood face to face with the young German Princess. Her eyes looked up at him in curiosity, she bore no emotion on those dark grey eyes (which held the same intensity as her mother's).

She was a deceiver he noticed, a great masker. Her smile said one thing yet her eyes revealed that she didn't trust him and that was good for at least she had inherited one good thing from her mother besides her looks that is.

He bowed quickly as he introduced himself "The Duke of Savoy, I trust your voyage to Simmerm was short and uneventful"

She tilted her head playfully. "Of course and let me say I am honored by your presence."

He raised an eyebrow. "You are?" He asked amused. "I would thought the contrary"

"Any man who is intelligent enough to recognize my father would be a good business partner is an honorable guest in our land, and my family is always kind to guest who show the same kindness ... Your Grace" She said giving him a quick curtsy.

Chapuys was surprised, this was not the naive, impetuos child he had pictured, this was a seventeen year old woman who behaved like a woman of great experience, no doubt it was her mother's doing because her father could have never trained her like this when he could barely do anything without his advisers' aid.

"Something on your mind Your Grace?" She said once she regained her posture, her eyebrows now knitted and her eyes full of curiosity and amusement as she later said giving no time for Chapuys to reply: "Cat got your tongue?"

If it wasn't because she was the pawn he was going to use to bring down her father, he would not have tolerated such behavior from a spoiled brat, but there was also another reason he would never admit why he was putting up with her arrogance and the answer lied on her appearance.

"Excuse me" He quickly regained his posture giving her a quick smirk. "I was just told that Count Orliesger the man next to you would be doing business with me, never did I imagine the King would send his daughter"

It all happened very quickly. Her smile of amusement shifted as she gave a light chuckle and taking one step forward despite hearing the Ambassador grumle something German behind her.

"Something funny Your Highness?" He inquired, his expression remaining neutral however one small lip of the tongue had revealed the annoyance he felt in his entonation as he said his next sentence to her "I didn't realize the King's daughter was very easy to amuse"

"Oh no Your Grace you are not. But it is just ... well ..." she was having trouble talking through her laughter. "well you are the first one who is bold not to kiss my father's feet like other of his mindless drones. A business man you are indeed, the kind of man that would benefit us for there is no fear in your eyes and you have a mind of your own, I can see it in the way you move, in the way you talked when you presented yourself as well Your Grace."

The little Princess turned out to be a more skillfull diplomat than the cowering Ambassador besides her. He gave her a smile, she had earned that much from him.

"Then you will prove a worthy oponent"

"I can only hope so Your Grace, I am after all the Princess of Brandenburg" she said proudly holding her head up high and making direct eye contact with him, she took one more step forward. Now they were only inches apart. "My father says he will make business with you." She said turning away from him and saying to Orliesger that it was time to leave.

He smirked at the young woman. Before they could be fully out of sight he asked her "Why come here Your Highness if I may ask? A simple letter would have sealed the deal."

Mary Eleanor wheeled to face him one more time. "Yes that is the way my father does things, me I prefer personal contact, take it as my week's notice to my father, he will like to hear it from my own lips after all that I did what no Prince of his did before, meet the mysterious Duke of Savoy." She said giving him a quick smirk.

She lastly said, "Good day Your Grace." and left with Count Orliesger who since he got to the Duke's mansion he had been very nervous that no words had come from him. No doubt his father would be very disappointed at him, but Mary being as they said she was the benevolent and understanding Princess of Brandenburg would twist what had happened between her the Duke. She would say most of the verbal exchange that had gone on between them had actually been with Orliesger. She couldn't risk having her mother giving her another sermon of how a lady or a Princess should behave, besides she had the personal satisfaction that she and not her brothers had sealed the deal with the Duke of Savoy and that she would earn after this a especial place in her family.

Chapuys watched the young Princess leave. His eyebrows were still arched, he could not believe that this spoiled Princes had left him speechless.

No, he would not let her go that easily. He would ask for her presence again, seeing how she was spoiled and very arrogant in time she would be a very easy pawn to control, after all she was already the lesser pawn of her family and she always would be in this god damned place. She was a woman after all, and a woman who no matter where she went she would always be subject to her mother's or her father's will.

Fleming knew seeing the look on his master's eyes, what he was thinking. But part of him knew that his master's devious plans for that Princess would not come into fructition because until today Eustace had seen in her eyes what he had missed all these years, hope and strength. The same strength that had once been present in his former Princess' eyes.


	10. Unexpected turns

********

****

____

_A/N: Thanks again to all my reviewers_

_Mexico today Thursday plays against FRANCE! WE HAVE TO WIN ! If anyone is mexican or knows the whole sham of how France got in (nothing against the French but that was very unfair for Ireland, pleaes it was a friggin hand!) support Mexico._

~Marcela Narcisa (believe it or not that is my name!)

* * *

**"We are destroying an innocent girl's future you do realize that?" ~Sebastian Valmont -Cruel Intentions**

* * *

_Because you asked for it..._

**Simmerm**

**Duke of Savoy's Residence:**

Chapuys had been shocked that the past Princess of England's copy cat had resulted in something completely different from what he had heard of her. The nobles whom he had met in Savoy had told him that the Queen's eldest daughter was haughty, arrogant though also sweet and very kind to everyone. Her smile was the most distinctive feature, that was what he heard.

Clearly they had been mistaken, or maybe they hadn't been talking of the Princess of Brandengurg at all. King Phillip I had united most of the low countries and what used to be old Germania (from the times of Roman Empire) under his rule. Before him there had been four major countries in Europe, those that controled everything like Spain, England, Scotland and France. Portugal could not count as it was in constant dominion with Spain. When he had been Ambassador to England he had met one of the very few Ambassadors he knew from Portugal, he could not remember his name but he had said that by the way the things were going on Portugal they would end up in Spain's dominion officially.

It had not happened ... not yet but he knew it was only a matter of time. He had been receiving reports from many merchants who traveled to Portugal. They said that the King's greatest mistake had been to close the explorations to the East. Those could have made his Empire richer instead of focusing just on Africa. But Chapuys saw more benefit in the slave trade from Africa than in the new world. Ther Americas Spain had found, could not be administered, unless they had laborers who wouldn't charge or pose any threat to their Empire, the Holy Roman Empire that is.

Alexander VI, the Borgia Pope in the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1498 had made a terrible mistake dividing the world in half for Spain and Portugal. Though Portugal controlled most of the slave trade it hardly knew how to administer it, in the end Spain got the upper hand cheating Portugal once more of its business.

Now both had colonies in the New World, but how long would those last now that England was planning to enter the slave trade as well?

The slave trade ... it was not something Chapuys was proud of, but he did business with some vile men for the sake of his plans to come into fructition. He no longer believed in heaven or hell, but if there was an afterlife he knew he was never going to see heaven now. He was doing business with not only vile men, but he was contributing to the explotation of innocent human beings, if God existed and he was as merciful as they said, he thought he would surely not take my side when I have aided many slave trafficers reach the new world.

How much longer will my vegeance consume my heart, when will I succumb to God? Ha! Chapuys roared in laughter at this. Never.

He had lost everything believing in his master, and by master he did not mean the Emperor or his former Princess, he meant God of course. God was gone from his heart and his mind, all he had left was his desire for vengeance.

He would never juxtapose that wish for vengeance. This was who he was and he was alright with that, because in finding vengeance he had found his true self.

And he was at peace, ironically, with that. Much better when his head was full of voices and conflict that had to do with his master and his conscience.

"What do you think of the Princess?" Fleming asked a little too bold.

Chapuys smirked shaking his head. "I don't see anything especial except she needs proper manners" He said ocassionally, that might have worked with a stranger but not with Fleming who knew Eustace like the palm of his hand.

Yet the man servant did not say anything to contradict his friend's opinion of the young german Princess.

"Are we really going to use that loud mouthed Princess? She will stir much trouble if her eyes are as quick as her mouth"

Chapuys chuckled.

"Mouth and wits Fleming are two different things." He said.

Fleming nodded but put himself in front of Eustace. Three hours ago the introductions had ended and all of the guests had left to their respective states or territories. There was no harm in raising their voices now.

"Probably but the Princess possesses both it seems. You did not see how her eyes were lilke a hawk when they landed on you. She asked me several times where you came from, she even asked me your exact birthdate, the whole time she didn't take her eyes off you or me Eustace when I told her of my false identity"

Chapuys raised an eyebrow. A spoiled brat who thinks, that was certainly something ... unexpected.

Fleming continued to comment how she had, since entering the Castle, taken close observation to everything inside of it, including the carpets. She had said that she knew of such fabric for her father had given once similar to her as a gift for her sixteenth birthday. She had been correct in her guess when she said to Fleming the fabric was from Ghana. How she knew of Ghana, Chapuys wondered, was a mystery. Princesses were seldom taught of the mysterious Kingdoms of down south Africa where it had opened its doors for the slave trade.

There was more to Mary Eleanor than met the eye the former Imperial Ambassador, now a Duke, concluded.

"You realize if she is as smart as she looks she will not be controlled that easily. Maybe you should reconsider your plans my friend." said Flemign.

Chapuys turned away from Fleming and went for the glass of wine that was next to the flower vase in the furniture next to him. He finished drinking the wine and then gazed on Fleming's cold brown eyes again. Those eyes had lost their sparkle and poor Fleming had trouble walking, he was not as fast or as old as Eustace remembered him.

He was getting old, like most men age was catching up at him and the sight was not pretty, but what could they all do? Two things no men like them could escape was sorrow and death. Fleming was suffering from both, and though Eustace never admitted, it pained him to see Fleming look so broken from the young and strong man he used to be when he had been at his service in England.

"We will use her" Eustace concluded bringing his sleeve to wipe the the residues of wine from his perfectly treamed beard.

Fleming's place was not to question his orders but on this ocassion and on many others were it would concern a daughter of the past Princess of England he would.

This was not some thing they were talking about, this was a German noble and Princess who if she decided to open her mouth about her suspicions regarding the three of them, Eustace, him and Raphael they would all be done for. Phillip might be a fool but when it came to protecting his family and their honor he was as cruel as his late father in law.

His cruelty to his enemies had made him famous in all of Europe. When they tried to overthrow him for trying to unite all of the low countries to what once had been Germania before the old Roman Empire, he had ordered them (without a trial) to be disemboweled and their properties taken for benefit of the German crown.

He had not shed a tear, and neither had his wife for that matter for the rebels had not only had planed to kill him but his entire family as well. It was the first time that the Country had seen a new facet of their Queen. Mary Wittelsbach nee Tudor made it clear that when it came to her family, she would spare no one, and she would shed as much blood as possible ...

The granddaughter of Isabella had lived to the Castillian Queen's name. Wherever that woman was she must sure be proud to be the grandmother of one very strict, yet wise Queen. Consort only in name, but everyone knew that she and Philip's councilors where the ones who really ruled the Country, Phillip was just a face to show the public.

"Are you really sure she will not notice"

My dear Fleming she is a spoiled Princess who has had everything handed down to her by her late grandfather, and her entire family since she was brought into this world. She is loved by the people, nothing has been denied to her and as far as she thinks then we will have her right where we want her" He said nochalantly.

Fleming walked towards Eustace. They were once again very close. There was pasion in his voice as he said to Eustace, protesting "We are destroying an innocent girl's future you do realize that?"

Chapuys rolled his eyes at Fleming. With old age came a growth sprout of conscience. A great nuissance -he thought.

"She is just a pawn, we are all pawns Fleming you said that yourself"

"You are right _Your Grace_" he said to Eustace his title in a mock tone. "then you know you are also a pawn of your own revenge, are you not?"

Fleming smiled slyly. He clapped his hands together. "Very good Fleming" he said "You finally figure it out. I am a pawn like the little brat except I am a higher pawn who has the upper hand and the greater chances of winning and stepping over my enemies"

As Chapuys finished he went to his chambers leaving an angry Fleming and a confused Raphael.

* * *

**Bavaria**

**Royal Household**

"Mother there is a letter for you" John yelled at his mother.

The German Queen immediately came running downstairs. While their father was away in Brandenburg overseeing the properties of their daughter, here she was acting as Regent for all the Bavarian region.

"John give me the letter" She said to John who quickly gave it to her. "You can leave now" She said to John who nodded and went upstairs to his room.

Out of all her children, John was the only one who didn't make a fuzz over who got what and he was the more obedient while his sibblings always had something to protest against their parents, but never John he was docile and though he would make every commoner mother proud, it was different for his mother. She was the Royal daughter of the late King of England, no matter what everyone said, she still considered herself a Princess and she would always do so until the day she died. She was sure that it had all been a mistake on the pope's side. Her parents marriage was valid before the eyes of God, she was not the product of incest, it was crazy that after all these years people still called her behind her back the bastard Princess of England.

It was a gross insult but she put up with it for her children's sake and because she had greater things to carry to what people said, though what they said was at times important if she wanted the Germans to respect her, especially the Bavarian whom lately she was having trouble ruling over them while her husband was away in Brandenburg.

He had insisted to go to his daughter's States to see how she was doing, but Mary knew the true reason. Mary Eleanor was everything Mary had been in her youth, she had her spirit, her beauty, her audacity and her empathy as well as her good heart but she also had another side of her which the German Queen did not like. She was cunning, bad mouthed, impetuous, she always went against what her parents told her, she always had the need to question everything (ever since she was little she would not stay put, it was always a problem when she and her daughter were put in the same room) for Mary Eleanor would start arguing with her mother about the limited freedom she gave her.

The Queen attempted to be fair with everyone, but Mary Eleanor always made it difficult with that big mouth of hers. What was more surprising of that mouth was how many thoughts could go through that little head of hers. She could think a million thoughts in less than a second and voice them with perfect eloquence, and ironically why people complained about her behavior, at the same time they loved her for it.

She had won the hearts of the people by showing the same caring spirit as her mother. She constantly went to help the poor and helped her mother finance the schools for young women. It was one of the things they both agreed on, education for women as influencing others to help them in their charity work.

Her father, Phillip thought that Mary Eleanor was a great example for their younger daughter, but former Mary Tudor thought all the contrary. While Mary Eleanor was beautiful and a great scholar amongst their gender, she didn't posses the lady like manners that could help Princess Amelia secure a good marriage in the future.

Another subject they "loved" arguing, marriage. Mary thought she was too good for marriage, she was afraid with marriage she would loose independence, she as her mother tried to convince her that this was just some silly nervous thought she had. No woman like them could ever be tamed, she only had to look at her. A former Princess of England, she had been born with everything but one cruel twist of fate she had lost her father's love, favor and her title and had been demoted to Lady Mary, the bastard daughter, product of incest, of her the King of England. Still, she had gone against her father's will when she met Phillip and insisted that they be married. The harlot Queen had not been happy but they had wedded anyway, and who knew that Phillip would get lucky when all of his family left no male heirs, and those that did died quickly. He had inhertied half of the low Countries and most of what was once Germania. He had restored these territories to its greatness and united most of them under a single flag, his command and hers leading the battle by his side.

Many times she had helped him conquer a new territory that would rebel against his rule. They had reformed the territories, and unlike the official religions that had once ruled these city state, she and Phillip let everyone practice the religion they wished as long as they swore loyalty to their new King and Queen. Most had, and though the transition had not been easy, they had done it.

Their new Country, Germany was finally united after many years of fighting with itself.

If only her daughter could see or appreciate what future her mother was trying to give to her. She would be Queen or co ruler of somewhere someday, she better learn to behave. The best way to enslave a man was not by acting rebellious but to act submissive, making him think it is him who has the upper hand while the woman is playing the puppet master. She always did this. The former Mary Tudor considered herself a puppet master, but more than that she considered that what she had achieved in (now) Germany was what her grandmother had for Spain when she married Fernando bringing all of Spain together under their one banner and banishing all of the moors from Granada and the other conquered territories they had held on for some many years on their nation.

Phillip was a warrior at heart as was Mary. He had defended his territory during the second siege of the Turks in Vienna. Mary had been there with him, she had been awarded as he had many years ago the order of the golden fleece. It had been in this point when the people had finally accepted her, because she had defended Vienna with great passion. She said she had done it for her people, all of them for her adopted land was her family. She had won the hearts and minds of everyone with her speech after the battle of Vienna was over.

Mary Eleanor dreamt of the same things, but she wanted to be a ruler without any ties. Her mother understood her, that was what Mary wanted once, but then she had met Phillip and at a time where she thought she would never get married and end up an old maid, she had discovered that there was no greater joy than to spend the rest of your life with your significant other. Nobody wanted to end up alone, and she was sure that deep down her daughter wanted to find true love, have a family and lost of children like all girls her age wanted.

Alas though, her daughter was a mystery, one she could not understand and at this point she didn't hope to understand for every time she tried to reach her daughter it would just end up in another big argument with her.

After John went to his chamber, Mary went to hers. She closed the doors of her bedroom and began to open the letter.

It was from the Duke of Savoy's personal Secretary.

**Your Majesty,**

**My master Your Grace the Duke of Savoy humbly asks you that since a year has passed since he has done business with Your Majesties, if Your Majesty could be so kind to renew our contract. Recently my master has been aware of the peace you have achieved with your husband. It would be a great honor for Your Grace if you would allow him to buy a property next to the castle since he feels that in this way he would be closer to you and your husband and he would not have to travel all the way from Savoy to Simmerm.**

**The Residence would be temporary of course, a year maybe less if the partnership between Your Majesties and my master keeps going as smoothly as it always has.**

**...**

The letter went on to praise her and Phillip for all their achievements. Whoever this secretary was he sure loved long speeches. If Mary hated one thing in politics was long speeches and praises. They were all done to get her favor or Phillip's. She and her husband were smart enough to know whom to trust and Phillip had the best advisers in the world.

However as soon as she finished the letter, she was shocked as she put it in her drawer and got pen an ink down. She sat in front of the desk and on a blank piece of paper she began to write to Phillip, stressing the importance that their daughter be present when he receives this letter.

The Duke of Savoy striked her as a very intelligent person, why on Earth would he ask for her daughter, her oldest and more rebellious to receive him on Bavaria?

She would ruin everything like she always did. She was kind and very generous to the poor, but put her in front of a noble or royal crowd she spoiled everything when she opened her big mouth.

Everything that came out of her mouth was with the purpose to make fun of all their dignitaries or to criticize others like their own nobles.

Her daughter had a lot to learn like knowing when to use sarcasm.

* * *

**Brandenburg,**

**Princess Mary Eleanor's Household:**

Princess Mary Eleanor had been eighteen last week. And everyone made a big scandal out of it because she refused to attend her own celebration that her parents had throwed for her in Bavaria. She said she would not go back.

Her father had been furious as expected and her mother had expressed her fury though other means, the only way that would prevent them from having a headache, though letters demanding that she leaves her land of Brandenburg to come back to Bavaria.

She had explicitly told her mother 'No'. She would not go back to Bavaria, not even if her father were to be here again and command her.

What was so especial about the Duke of Savoy that they had asked for her ESPECIFICALLY to receive him?

Why don't they ask John or their favorite dear Phillip, she thought sarcastic. Phillip as the crowned Prince of Germany would do much better than her. Already he was the invested Duke of Saxony and crown Prince of Bavaria (a title only the royal heir receives), if anyone was to receive the Duke of Savoy was him, not her. Who was she anyway? Just some washed up Princess whom her mother was trying to sell her to the highest bidder in Europe along with her dad.

She had been there when the letter her mother sent to her father while he was visting her arrived. Her father following her mother's instructions had read the letter to her aloud and she had been furious that her mother was not asking politely but blinded by arrogance she was commanding her to return to Bavaria. Her father had that silly look on his face, a smile, the same one that he used to convince everyone to bend to his will. Unlike his subjects she was not that easy, she needed more than smiles and words such as please, or love, or sweetheart to convince her to return to her parents.

If she returned she would hardly be free of her older brother's torment. Now that he was crowned Prince heir of Germany he had not stopped rubbing it in her face. She was sick and tired of having hear boast of how he would one day be King and sell her, if she wasn't married by then, to the lowest bidder. An impoverished German noble, he often taunted or maybe a beggar so she would learn her lesson.

If somebody needed to learn his lesson it was Phillip. He desperately needed a good touch with reality. He thought the world would always kneel for him, he was wrong. You needed more than good looks and a title to be King. A King was responsible for his people not just his family. The people were his family, and if his family wasn't happy with him then his reign would be cursed by uprising.  
One of the things that Plato and other greek philosophers had argued was that Kings were above everyone, they were chosen by the Gods, in this case God to rule after their people, but if the Kings abused their powers than the Divine Power that had chosen them would take their favor away from them.

Phillip, Mary Eleanor hoped that if he got to be King someday that he would leave no issue, boy or girl for they would inherit their father's blindness and Germany did not need one blind King to destroy what their father had worked so hard to built all his life with their mother.

Mary was a good masker. When her father had finished reading the letter her mother sent them to her, he had asked her what was her final answer. She had said to him that she would never disobey them for that would cause her great grief. Her father had swallowed her lie and gone back to Bavaria to tell her mother, the Queen that Mary Eleanor would soon arrive. But surprise, surprise when she sent a letter back saying she was comfortable in Brandenburg and that she was planning to celebrate her birthday there and nothing they could do would make her change her mind.

Her mother had exploded. Her father had traveled to her palace again and marched up to her bedroom furious, screaming and demanding that she give him an explanation. The explanation had been simple: she did not want to.

In the end she had her way. Her father had finally gave up trying to convince her.

"There is no point in arguing with you! Why has God sent me a disobediet daughter?"

Her father was always one for melodramatics, she had resisted her great urge to laugh when he had said this before walking out her door and leaving for Bavaria again. You would think he was the Queen and her mother the King. Maybe they should switch places, that way it would avoid confusion to the question as who was really running this nation.

"Milady" It was her chief lady in waiting, Gertrude Heigl, bowing first before walking to her.

"What is it Gertrude?" They were always on a first name basis when they were in private. Gertrude was a great friend to Mary, she was allowed to come and go as she pleased into her bed chamber.

Gertrude hesitated, she wasn't sure how Mary would take it. She was a very easy one to upset. Gertrude never had the courage to say it, but the main reason why her mother had trouble controlling her daughter was because Mary would get upset over the littlest of things. Why couldn't she see that her mother, the noble Queen Mary Tudor only tried to make things better for her daughter? If only Mary Eleanor was not so stubborn and proud things would fare much better for her in her family. She had already won the hearts and minds of the people, why was it so hard to submit to the hearts of her parents?

"Gertrude!" Mary snapped fingers in front of her friend's face awaiting a reaction.

Gertrude jumped back at the sound of Mary's fingers snapping in front of her. She blinked several times as she finally heard her Msitress' voice now raised higher. "Gertrude what is going on?"

"Oh Mary you will be mad" She began to say but was soon cut by Mary.

"I am already getting mad and will get completely mad if you don't tell me now what is so important that you come to my chambers at this late hour right when I am about to go to bed!"

Gertrude stiffened.. Her mistress was already mad, but after she finished telling her this notice she would get furious.

Well, she said to herself, it is not like it is my fault, if she should be mad at anybody it should be herself for disobeying Their Majesties as always.

"Before I begin ..."

"Gertrude!"

"let me start by saying I had nothing to do with this but he tells me that your mother insisted that he come along with his secretary and well I could not refuse him when I saw his letter your mother wrote was in her handwriting and had your father's royal seal"

Mary's eyes widened she held her hand up.

"Wait. You are trying to tell me that ..."

Getrude nodded avoiding eye contact with her mistress.

Mary hissed "Gertrude why couldn't you tell him that I was asleep?"

Gertrude finally looked at Mary, anger invading her. "I did but he did not believe me. Sorry _Princess_ but I hardly sound as convincing as you and I am not a skilled liar" She said boldly.

Mary smirked chuckling at the cowering girl in front of her. She put on hand on Gertrude's shoulder. "Then you have a lot to learn ... now let us go downstairs I am sure we have made the _poor_ Duke wait too long, and Gertrude?"

"Yes?"

"Watch me, learn from the master" Mary said chuckling at her friend's expression.

Gertrude mentally groaned. Why couldn't she just be sent to the Household of Princess of Ammelia, she bet her sister Diane was having it easier dealing with the gentle and docile younger Princess than she had dealing with the high spirited and hot tempered Princess Mary Eleanor. Though she loved Mary for she was a good mistress to her and a generous friend who had always favored her out of all her ladies in waiting, she always found it difficult to deal with the aftermath of all of her mistress' arguments with her mother. Whe her mistress was mad she would not only take out her anger at everything was around her, people were included too. She would never physically harm her subjects but she would lash out on them for no reason.

Gertrude was lucky she was on her good side, for as long as she could remember being placed in her service, she and the young Count Orliesger were the only ones she (to date) never lashed out on.

They walked downstairs.

Whatever really was her mother thinking sending the Duke to her Household? Mary thought. This was her house, her state, her rule, her mother and father had no authority here. She didn't care if they were Gods themselves no one came into her house at this unholy hour and expected her to treat him like a guest?

Besides, who was this Duke anyway to barge into her home uninvited. Her mother was Queen of Germany not of Brandenburg. Like Phillip was being taught to rule in Bavaria by her mother, so she was taught to rule in Brandenburg, at least that much she owed her mother that she had trusted her with one of the most important territories in their nation. Her mother had promised her, but now Mary knew better than to trust her mother again for she seldom kept any promises to her, that she would let her rule Brandenburg without any intervention from her or her father.

It was clear that her mother was intent on emphasizing to Mary that no matter where she went she was still subject to her parents like the rest of her siblings, even arrogant Phillip who must be boasting -she thought, imagining how angry I must be.

On the living room there he was the Duke of Savoy and standing next to him was his Secretary whom she remembered his name Shultz.

The Duke of Savoy smiled at the young Princess. The Princess smiled back, it had been over a year since they had last seen each other, he had not changed much.

Judging by his callous stare at her inspecting her entire attire from the embroidery in her green and silver dress to the splicing of Flemish and French fashion on it, he finally met her eyes. He was not just any politician, this she realized by the way he had stared at her (paralleling their first meetings) was an experienced man. She looked closely at him either without revealing her true thoughts about his appearance.

He looked to be in his mid forties, yet there was something strange about him and for one that was his health. Most of the men that age were plagued by many diseases mainly ulcer or gout. Her own father was beginning to develop gout. Yet this man still bore strong, broad shoulders and strong healthy cheekbones plust his legs looked free of illness.

"Your Highness forgive me for coming at this unholy hour but your mother said that I could find you here, and she has told me that you would be a great tour guide of Brandenburg since it is your territory after all" He said, his voice full of caution. He had already been warned by Raphael and Fleming as well as in a letter from the Queen (he was lucky he had not met her face to face, for it was not yet the time) of the elder Princess' hot temper -how she was quick to become angry.

He had dealt with much worse, he was not going to be scared to anger a silly eighteenth year old who like all people her age had her head stuck in the clouds instead of reality.

Mary Eleanor wanted to tell him that no he had not interrupted anything and that she was not mad at all, on the contrary she loved when people burst into her Household at the middle of the night!

She kept her posture still not revealing any of her thoughts.

"If my Her Majesty sends you then who am I to refuse I am her subject after all as much as everyone who resides in our good nation" She said contrasting her true emotions and thoughts about her mother's decision to send this man here and on top of all to choose her to play the Ambassador to him.

She was going to have Orliesger for this, if he wasn't so nervous he could have easily handled the situation better in Savoy a year ago, and he would be the one asked to deal with the Duke and not her. But no he had to be shy, why did men have to be so shy and let women do all the fun? -she thought using her mental sarcasm once more.

"I am glad that I was not disturbing anything" Eustace said showing her a small smile.

Mary Eleanor returned it. "Of course not Your Grace now tell me where will you be staying?" She asked, she mentally had fingers crossed that he would say far from here, your mum allowed me to share one of her cottages that is days away from your Household, however she wasn't that lucky.

The Duke responded "I have nowhere that is the reason for my visit your mother says that as your Household is one of the biggerst in Germany and seeing how it is Your Highness, she had asked you to let me stay in your Household at least until the duration of my short stay" He said handing the letter the Queen had sent through her servant to him to the young Princess.

Mary snatched the letter from the Duke's hands quickly. She didn't care much for etiquette now. She had the gift to know when someone was lying or not, but she always thought it was wise to give someone the benefit of the doubt. She quickly read all of her mother's letter. He had been telling the truth. She looked and met his cold blue eyes.

She had no choice, she did not wanted her father or worse her mother all the way from Bavaria to scold her on why leave another stranger outside her home.

"Very well" she said faking sweetness. "you can take the guest room on the right wing, I will call my servants to help you and your secretary Herr Shultz get you settled"

Minutes later servants came flocking after her mistress called them.

Mary saw that the Duke opened his mouth to say something, but before words could be uttered she turned away form him quickly and went back to her chambers, Gertrude following her.

By short stay she really hoped he meant it, because if this turned out to be more than one month, she didn't care if her mother was Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, she would her complaints.

"Milady?" She heard her best lady in waiting and friend ask her. Her voice drowned in curiosity after Mary had jumped on her bed, landing in complete exhaustion.

Mary looked at Gertrude. She smiled at her she said to her friend -"I am alright Gertrude and you can go back to your chambers."

After Gertrude left Mary collapsed her head and shoulders on top of the large set of pillows. She had always had the bad custom of sleeping with her casual clothes on. This was a very especial dress because it had been a personal gift from her brother and favorite sibbling John. Thinking about John and the importance of this dress she quickly began to take off all of her clothing except her undergarments. She went back to bed after she had put on a nightgown.

Tomorrow was going to be some interesting day. The Duke of Savoy's eyes had been cold but not smart enough to hide his feelings. His eyes revealed for a second after he had let his guard down, that he was a man who attempted to make friends out of anyone even converting enemies to friends.

Mary was not going to be his friend, she was only having him here because her wanted to renew the contact and since he knew now how well his daughter had done last time that it ended in a full business partnership with the Duke of Savoy.

She was going to play the game of the Duke of Savoy _for now _...

If she found out though -that he was not completely honest about his business contract wth her father or that he was taking all of the Wittelsbachs for fools then they he could rest easy and be afraid because at one part she was not the type to tattle, but if add the right provocation and she could make you wish you would have to deal with her parents instead.

Noble yes but in her character, not in blood. She didn't care a lot about the bloodlines of royals or nobles. She often dreamed about being a country girl with no worries and no responsibilities to carry. But even country girls were subject to their fathers ... no matter how hard she thought about it, Mary's choices would end up leading her to her destiny -be married to some foreign Prince or a prominent German noble.  
Either way she was going to fight it until she would no longer have any will left in her, which she doubted could happen since she had won all the battles against her parents, especially her father so far.

People said she did not seem like a Wittelsbach and Mary Eleanor liked this for it made her feel unique. She was the spitting image of her mother, that she knew very well but unlike her she wasn't plagued with the burden of destiny, she believed everyone had a choice, including Royals.

Why stand in the doorway waiting for Prince Charming to rescue you and bring you to his Kingdom when you could rule on your own? Her mother always stressed of the importance of a boy over a daughter but Mary didn't think that a boy was more important, their seed might be because without there would be no humanity as with no womb from women, but looking over that small fact, there was nothing that could prove boys were more necessary than women. Her great grandmother had ruled Castilla on her own right and she hardly needed Fernando of Aragon except maybe to provide heirs.  
The only good thing a man could give -heirs and sexual pleasure that was it. Mary wanted none, she wanted to be free of a future of children and sex. You didn't need either, especially marriage a social contract she viewed that could be compared to slavery for you sold yourself to your husband giving the best of you to him, the phrase until death do us part was enough to bound a woman to the man for all eternity.

No man would ever breach the walls of her heart ... no one. She had a heart of iron that no sword that represented gentleness or a gentleman's preserverance that intended for her hand in marriage could ever win..

She finally let sleep over take her and she traveled to the land of dreams where she found herself standing in front of a broken man, very old and weary limping inside his cell.


	11. Arrogance destroyed

********

****

____

_A/N: Thanks again to all my reviewers_

_Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and all those of you who are from Mexico wish Mexico luck we are going against Argentina, now I know VainXlifepoetess Caro is from Mexico so all in this together. Vamos Mexico! World cup drives me crazy!_

And they just put the hymn of Mexico, Mexico you better win if Mexico does not win I won't update in three weeks, if they win I will udpate tomorrow, yes I have three large chapters waiting, but I won't update unless they win!

~Marcela Narcissa

* * *

**"I have become so numb~Numb by Linkin Park**

* * *

_Because you asked for it..._

**Brandenburg,**

**Princess Eleanor's residence:**

The next day came uneventful. She rose from her bed, she dressed herself and went for breakfast. The Duke she was told by his secretary (Shultz) whom she had bumped into on her way to breakfast with her trusted lady in waiting Gertrude, had told her that the Duke had gone to the rose gardens for a stroll.

Mary dismissed him and she went for breakfast. She told Gertrude when she asked Mary why was she being very rude this morning that she did not care about anything that had to do with the Duke.

"But is your mother -"

"My mother rules in Bavaria where she is Regent." Mary informed Gertrude taking a piece of her meat pie.

No matter how much meat she ate, even if she sucked in air she stayed the same figure. Even a corset when they tried to fit her into them would be too big for her tiny waist. Her mother said she would never have children if she continued to be malnurished.

As if her mother knew what she liked to eat she thought grimly.

Though her best maid and friend Gertrude could be easily described in two words: scared and naive, she could prove to be very useful when she put her ears on every door she was asked to spy.

One thing that she didn't like about Gertrude was her taste in Spanish music. She hated Spanish tunes, another thing to add to her long list of differences between her mother and her. It had been her mother who had handpicked Gertrude, and though Mary could see past Gertrude being her mother's spy, in time the girl had come to be friends with the young Brandenburg Royal and stopped being the Queen's spy.

Now she was her spy.

"So did you hear anything about our guest?" Asked Mary mischeviously.

Gertrude rolled her eyes. She had better things to do then spying all the time.

"Like pray tell what better do you have to do?" Mary asked skeptical raising an eyebrow at Gertrude.

Gertrude sighed. "Attending you and making sure you don't have another argument through correspondance or face to face with your mother ... or worse your parents' golden boy Phillip"

"Mmmm" Mary mumbled under her breath gruffly as she recalled the last argument she and her mother had, all because of that spoiled brother of hers Phillip. He had warn her that when the time came for him to be King she would throw her from the Kingdom and sell her to the lowest bidder, the lowest Prince he meant. Phillip, poor Phillip -her brother always had a hard time chosing his words. He was rather pathetic for being the Crown Prince of the German Reich.

"Don't laugh milady he will be King of your father's Reich one day"

"Yes he will" Mary agreed "But until that day comes I will have my fun with him, after all he is very easy to manipulate, did you not see last time how he stood in ridicule at my mother's birthday?"

"You caused that" Getrude scolded her best friend remmebering all too well how she had caused trouble to Gertrude as well. The Regent and Queen of the German Reich had never been so mad, she had threatened to expell Gertrude from her daughter's service if she failed to report to her again.

Gertrude was no longer afraid of the Queen's threats, not after spending five years with the oldest daughter of the Wittelsbach family. If there was something greater to fear than the Queen, it was the Princess of Brandenburg, for nothing they called her the "Great" Shrew" amongst all the German Nobles and Royals. Her temper was legendary, being part Tudor after all.

"I did but who favored the prank?" Taunted Mary.

A small cartoonish type smile adorned Gertrude's face. "Fine, I did." She admitted "But you planned it, and you put us all in trouble."

"But we got out safely as always. It all went according to plan. Never fear Gertrude when it comes to my mother I always have a plan" She said grinning to her friend.

Gertrude did not say anything after Mary finished.

"Now lets get moving shall we?"

"Where are we going? Are we not going to have breakfest with your guests?"

"My mother's guests" Mary reminded Gertrude as they walked out of her room and went downstairs. "Not mine, they can have breakfest on an empty table, you and me are going for a stroll"

They walked out of her state and took a stroll like it was custom for them to do every Sunday, this time because of the unexpected guests Mary had decided they would take an earlier and longer stroll.

"You think I am being too disrespectful with my father's business partner?" She asked warily to Gertrude. She had thought about how things had gone yesterday. She always had respect for her father, but when they tried to impose their will on her she would rebel. As was her nature from her mother's parental side of the family, the Tudors. She didn't like being told what to do, she had been named Princess of Brandenburg for a reason, one of the most important states in the Reich. Not even Phillip nor her other siblings had been given such priviledges. They had their own States, their own Households but none could compare to Brandenbourg, she had her own goverment, her own Court and best of all she was ruler of these lands unlike them who were rulers of nothing.

She had felt very proud when her father had trusted this to her. He said he didn't trust anybody but her to bring order and peace to Brandenburg. The moment she had been left alone in Brandenburg it had been difficult for her to get used to a life where her parents were absent. The first months were the hardest because she had even began to miss her siblings, including her most annoying older brother Phillip. Gertrude helped get throguh it all, and besides the people of Brandenburg welcomed her with open hearts.  
They loved the change from the stern, strict Queen that her mother was when she had been Regent of these lands on her father's abscence, to the young, extrovertid, and and sympathetic to the people's beliefs (of all kinds) Princess.

She harbored no ill will against anybody, but she did make it clear that if anyone were to cross her or her family then she could be a worst enemy than her mother.

"I can be your best friend or your worst enemy" was her motto, and she lived by it every day when she would pray to her invisible God. Unlike her mother she did not believe in imagery, but that did not meant she suppress the people's pagan beliefs, the Catholics. She wanted to be everyone's friend, it was easier to kill flies with honey than with vinegar -that was her second philosophy.

Gertrude's reply snapped the Princess from her thoughts.

"You are doing exactly what your mother would. You are being wary of him and that is wise because you can never know who we can trust."

Mary smirked. "My mother would be proud would she not?" She asked stopping and looking directly at her best friend.

"She would. Give her time, she will see what a great ruler you are."

"No, I don't think my mother will ever understand that. She takes too seriously the rules, she would never understand what is like to have ambitions, to wish that there could be more to life ..." Mary lost her next words. She wanted to say that there was more to life than what was taught in books or philosophy. There had to be eitherwise if everything was always the same, then what was the use of ruling, fighting for money, love or jewels if nothing was going to change, if all of this was going to end? Didn't seem logical.

"Milady?"

"I am alright Gertrude just thinking that is all. Now let us go back to my State, I don't want to hear my father's business partner complain, that is the last thing I need" Mary said and they quickly returned to her Household where the Duke and his secretary were patiently waiting for them at her living room after they had finished breakfest without them.

"Your Grace" She greeted bowing her head very quickly.

He greeted her in the same fashion. "Your Highness" He said bowing his head lower and showing her more respect than what she had shown him.

"I have been waiting for your Highness to return from her stroll. I must say that you take the longest strolls I have seen coming from a royal lady"

Mary's eyes went widen and Gertrude had to stand back and spun the opposide side of her Mistress, as well as Fleming who went by the identity of Schultz. Never had she had one subject, noble or not talk to her that way?

"Excuse me?" She asked still not believing he had dared to speak to her so boldly.

"What did you say? Do you know who I am your Grace?" She asked going very quickly to his side.

He was not intimidated the single bit by the arrogant Princess. He had been through worse, seen worse Princesses than she, one that came to mind was Mary of Hungary the infamous "Regent" who possessed a worse and stronger character than this young, naive fool.

"You are the Princess of Brandenburg who takes strolls and leaves their guests waiting for her in a disrespectful manner" He said simply in a patient manner.

"Do you take me for a fool? Well don't because I am not, and I don't like to be made fun of with your swift talk and your cynicism, I can snap my fingers and have the guards take you from my castle so I suggest you stop asumming that I am this spoiled little Princess and start behaving yourself for you are nothing but a subject, a common Duke whose only well being depends on how well I talk of you to my father and-"

She was quickly cut off by Chapuys' laughter. "Highness no, on the contrary you are lucky your father is not here. For before I arrived here he trusted me to have full authority and report on you, believe me when it comes to showing favor, your father trusts more strangers than he does for a frivolous, young thing like you"

"How dare you?"

"I dare because I can, and because your father needs me I am now more important than you"

"Your Grace should take care of his tongue because that big mouth of yours will only cause you trouble, why if I was Queen I would throw your arse in the desert or back to the filth from where you came from" She ignored Chapuys' laughter and went on "Unlike me, I am sure Your Grace possesses no royal blood."

"Is that it? That is your best argument? That because milady has royal blood I am supposed to be intimidated, to feel less? Why? I have all the pawns, all the comercial assets, assets that your father needs"

"Assets run out very quickly don't you know that Your Grace? It is only a matter of time before my father finds another business partners who sells cheaper and gives us better quality. Besides why should I show respect with a man who does business with slave traders, you should be ashamed that you stain your soul ..."

Chapuys roared cutting through the Princess' arguments "My soul was killed I assure a long time ago Highness, and now if you think you can make a better ruler than your mother or father by filling your head with those silly ideals of peace and equality then you will find yourself prey to very bad men who will step easily on top of your skinny body ..."

"How dare you speak to a Princess of the blood like that?"

Chapuys ignored and rolled over her dismay carrying on with his argument. He did not only mean to humiliate her, but he also felt that he had a responsibility to this Princess, not for her well being or his, but to open her eyes to the world around her. She had been filled all her life with words, and poems that she no longer saw the real world. She had been born in a gold and silver craddle, what did she know about poverty, of hardship? Nothing, somebody had to wake up this fool, and if her parents did not have the nerve to do it then he would.

"Because Princess I see a young and strong ruler, but you are a fool, naive and blind like a child, you think the whole world revolves around you. You think that peace can get you order, that it can be enough through your missionary works to get the respect of your people. Every successful goverment and mark my words, everyone, only becomes successful when their rulers sacrifice their morals for the sake of their people. Every philosopher you read Aristotle, Plato or Socrates, most of them ended up in misery, only Kings went down in glory, they became Immortal because they conquered, because they raped their enemies' lands, their wives, because they stole and cheated that is how they got their fortune."

"No, I refuse to believe that"

"Then your enemies will eat you alive, when your brother ascends he will make sure you are the first one to go-"

"How do you know-"

"Does it matter how do I know of your brother's utter dislike for you? All that matters is that your parents trusted you to rule a state, to keep things in order."

"You are right there my parents trusted me."

Chapuys barked in laughter again. He shook his head vigorously. "No milady" he said cynically "The only reason why you were given this State is to prove to you once and for all that you are not invincible. If they really wanted control over this state they would have send a governer or somebody else not a Princess. Your parents have their own spies, they have their own Courtiers who report on your every move, maybe they have bought some of your servants, maybe the person you trust the most to report on you, why else do you think you are always able to keep things under control in this small Kingdom? Your parents are the ones ruling for you milady, not you. You are just their figurehead, their tool."

Mary clenched her fists, she felt the tears on her eyes threatening to escape.

"Get out of my sight"

"Not yet, not before you hear this and please this time do pay attention because I won't repeat it again: Nobody here is your friend, I am not, she is not" Chapuys said his finger flying at Mary's favorite maid who still had her back turned on her. "they are all your tools or your parents, they are all pawns, that is all we are pawns, even your parents are pawn to a Higher Power, your God. If you think that peace and good will men will get you anywhere you will not last very long once your brother becomes King. Trusting too much in somebody can prove to be your undoing, believe me I had to learn that the hard way"

"When my father hears about this I assure you ..."

"Your father will not hear anything as long as your mother is Regent. She commands and I report directly to your parents not to you Princess. good day" Chapuys said finishing with a quick smirk, he and Fleming moved past her leaving her stunned and humiliated before all her servants and best friend.


	12. The Secret behind Brandenburg's rose

********

****

____

_A/N: Thanks again to all my reviewers_

_I have to thank Caro who helped with many information about the slave trade now that she took that african american course and also since she knows a lot of Europe she told me more about Chapuys' later activities after he retired from the Emperor's service and England in his hometown Savoy. I did not know he followed his humanism to establish a school of grammar, but there you have it. Also thanks to Dani who along with Caro managed to convince me to update, and her column of fiction vs reality on every chapter as Caro have helped me gain more knowledge of the territory of Savoy and the English and French Renaissance that are focal for my fic, the French you will see later on._

Last before we bore you I also want to thank everyone who has reviewed and made for the advacement of this fic possible!

Thank you guys.

~Marcela Narcissa

* * *

**"Knowing others is wisdom. Knowing oneself is enlightenment." Lao Tzu**

* * *

_Because you asked for it..._

**Brandenburg,**

**Princess Mary Eleanor's residence:**

Nobody, absolutely nobody could make fun of her and get away with it!

He would pay for the grave offense he had caused her. Mary Eleanor swore as she ran to her bedroom. Getrude and all her ladies were following her, as Princess to the most important state in Germany other than Bavaria and Simmerm, she had the greatest number of servants, twenty five ladies in waiting, fourteen chaplains in all her states and a horde of lower servants ready to attend her with just a snap from her fingers.

She kicked the door when Gertrude started knocking lightly on it after she had closed the door before she could get it. She wanted to see and hear from nobody.

Nothing could make the humiliation go away. She felt worse than anything she had felt in her life.

"Mary please open up. Mary!" Gertrude kept screaming despite Mary having kicked at her door from the inside of her room.

All Gertrude wanted was to show Mary she was sympathetic, but the Princess like many times was being stubborn not letting anyone in.

Because the hard and ugly truth was that Mary felt ugly inside. Nobody not even her mother on the day of her birth, had ever seen her cry. They all said that babies don't cry, but she was told that when she had been born she had not cried, she had looked at her mother and smiled at her. Probably the only time she and her mother ever smiled at each other.

Mary thought grimly as she heard her mother's voice.

Every time Philip Jr. would play awful pranks on her, or throw insults behind their parents' back, she would always be the one grounded. Her father would always take his favorite heir's side, and their mother -she just loved pinning everything on Mary.

_"Mary look what you have done?" Mother yelled. I did not mind her yelling but she was squeezing my arm to tightly, I felt she was sure to leave a mark with her nails digging into my skin._

_Why was she not diggin into John's skin, he was the one caused all the party decorations to crash because of his stupid dogs -I thought furiously as my father looks at me in disaprooval, though his stare does not scare me as much as my mother's deadly glare._

_I want to tell her that it was all their golden boy's fault, when my mother squeezes harder making me flinch._

_I am only five years old. We are still in England, my grandfather is still alive -and like my parents he always takes Philip's side. _

_My father -he finally intervenes and pushes my mother away from me as he tells her quietly with a serious tone. _

_"That is enough, we don't need little Mary screaming, besides" he says turning to my direction, my mama turns too. "She is sorry aren't you dear?"_

_I nod. What other choice do I have?_

_"Very well then. Be grateful Mary your father is not here or that he will hear about this, he would not have taken this matter lightly" My mother mentions before she turns away from me. Her dark brown hair (once beautiful red, it has darken as she has aged -she says because of me and Philip) now dark brown flows as she quickly walks to the door. She gives it a loud bang, she is not even careful not to let the others servans outside our Chambers notice our dispute._

_I turn to my father, he seems just as disappointed in me as my mama. _

_I try to justify myself to him, explain that it was all Philip's fault before he could tell my grandfather or worse his wife, the Queen. I know for a fact the way the Queens acts toward me -that she doesn't like me._

_My father does not accept my explanation, the moment I had opened my mouth he leaves too._

That had been nearly fifteen years ago.

She had been so sure that her father would at least listen, he always seemed very regal, stoic in his posture, but in the end he had proven to be like any other man in her late grandfather's Court.

The Queen was the worst of all her "family". At least the King had made it clear he didn't like her, but the Queen had to play the hypocrisy game with her in public, just like her odious brother Philip.

Her eyes, it was whispered amongs the courtiers were her worst feature. She had dark gray eyes like her mother, same color and same shape but those eyes far from being compared to her mother's to the Queen's displeasure they were comapred to her former rival -the once Queen Katherine of Aragon, the Infanta of Spain who had never given up her god giving right to call herself Queen. At her deathbed she had still signed as the Queen instead of the Princess Dowager as she was later demoted by her own church by the Pope -the Bishop of Rome.

Anne Boleyn would reply kindly to her mother and to her family, but when she got to see Mary by herself, she would dismiss all her maids and only her and the Queen would be left.

_"Katherine's granddaughter. Why you have the Princess Dowager's hair and your mother's eyes, very dangerous if you ask me. Odd for a girl, half spaniard, half Bavarian and part english what can the world expect?"_ The Queen Dowager had last said to Mary Eleanor before she, her mother and the rest of her sibblings had left for Bavaria after her father had declared himself King and had annexed all the territories he had inherited from his relatives to his Kingdom forming the ever first German Reich after years of being divided into city states.

If she could describe her childhood in England with one word: dreadful.

The hatred she had for her was almost sickening. Anne Boleyn would throw her deadly glances when no one was looking. She would laugh, make awful remarks about her when she and her would be alone.

She would tell her mother but her mother would just say that she could do nothing, her grandfather was the King and Anne his Queen, and that was it.

She never had support from her parents. During her formative years when Anne Boleyn had insisted that she and her siblings be placed on a different Household other than her parents' at Hundson.

They had been given a smaller mansion in Woodsham Walter Manor. At first she did not mind, but when it became unbearable to have been so far away from her parents, she had written with her six year old hands a letter to the Queen of England, and when no reply came for moths, she wrote another one to the King. No reply came and she was forced to live through Philip's taunts. If it hadn't been for John, his fraternal twin, she would never have made it out alive from Woodsham, especially when the Queen knew about all the abuse she suffered at Philip's hands, she adn John.

The Queen would use Philip to make her life more miserable. She would shower Philip with gifts. He became her especial project, Philip even became best friend with the Prince of Wales who was now Henry IX of England. They were like brothers more than him and John. They did everything together when the Queen would bring her son Prince Hal of Wales to their Household.

Hal was not as cruel like Philip. But there were moments when he would flaunt his and Philip's new toys given to them by the King and Queen of England. They would ask her:

_"Do you want to play with them?"_

Very naive as she was back then, she would answer them with a smile, behave as her mother had taught her, like a Lady and with a subservient voice she would reply "Please yes"

And their answer would always be laughter, with the Queen laughing back at her too.

But she never cried, they would laugh, they would taunt her, they would insult her but she would never cry in front of them.

She would cry many times the first two years at Woodsham before her father left with Philip to fight for his birthright as the new Duke and ruler in Bavaria. She would hide her head in her pillow and cry very hard while her two brothers or the Queen was outside playing with them and her son Hal.

She had never felt though very humiliated as she did now.

Back then she did not have a household of her own, a Kingdom or a great piece of land to rule. All her subjects, the Queen had made it clear were not hers but her brothers'. She thought that way she would be far from John and that the two loving siblings would be at odds with each other, but nothing the Queen could do could break the bond between siblings.

John was the only one so far of her family who still understood her. Who defended her, and being the second in line for the crown of the German Reich, their parents listened to him, sometimes when it was obvious the accusations against Philip, they would listen to him more than his older brother by two minutes.

Gertrude finally stopped knocking at her door.

She was finally alone with only her thoughts to keep her company.

The way he had laughed at her, the way he had left her with a playful grin on his face ... she could not stand it, but then there was confusion that came to Mary Eleanor's mind as she recalled (what she thought was) his advice:

_"Trusting too much in somebody can prove to be your undoing, believe me I had to learn that the hard way"_

Why had he done this? What right did he think he have to humiliate and then to give her advise over how she should handle her Kingdom?

Strange. Very strange -she thought.

First he insults, she said to herself, then he says I am a strong and young leader in need of advice? What is up with that man?

She had no idea but she was going to find out.

Images of him smirking and passing her as he and Herr Schultz his butler went to his Chamber's made her curse him again.

"Damn him!" she hissed. The nerve of that man!

Nobody had done or said what he had before.

In her anger, she had failed to give orders to her maids and servants to take extra care and put guards near her study, after seeing how meticulous he could be, she had to be extra careful that he did not look for the greatest secret she had been keeping from her parents. A secret that if found out, especially by her father or worse -the future King, her brother the Prince Philip of Bavaria, her privilidged, her income, her lands, her states, even her title could be taken away.

In the last effort to keep her from doing anymore of her "Secret activities" her mother would sold her off into marriage, something she had dreaded since she was very little. She had seen enough of broken marriages in England to learn that marriage was just another way to keep a woman tied, it was slavery.

She let her hands fall on the ground where she currently was seated, her back propped against the wall.

She was called the "Favorite" of the Queen of the German Reich. Nobody had been closer to her mothers' heart than her -all lies!

Her mother's heart belonged to not only one but to many individuals, her subjects and her husband's. As Queen of the German Reich she considered herself mother to a strong nation that had been in development when Philip took the rule over Bavaria and then became King annexing a huge part of other German states to it. Her father had made the Reich what it was today, and her mother had helped of course giving him great and wise council, after all she had great experience after spending most of her life in the most dangerous and glamorous court of all Europe in England.'

She knew about rule, about the dangers of Court intrigue and scheeming. No better councilor and wife could have been brought to Germany than Mary Tudor, former Princess of England.

She was a politician though, through and through. She knew that in Lutheran and Calvinist thought it was important for a woman to give the image of the loyal homemaker, educator of her children and committed to the welfare of her Country without overshadowing too much her husband. Her mother was a master at playing a double standard with her position as Regent and Queen. She always went to the towns with her husband and the rest of the Royal Family to give alms to the poor, to help the workers build the poor houses, her children were always there ... Mary Eleanor never missed an inaguration of a girl's academy or the new Lyceums for people of low income. The Queen wanted to make it clear the Wittelsbach were part of a new generation that cared for the advancement and future development of a better Germany where nothing would miss from a family's table, food or water or much less education.

Mary Eleanor had alway admired her mother for this, she seldom had the same feeling for her father who was often absent from her life. With him it was always papers, taking care of matters of State and attending foreign policy issues, her mother no one thanked, but she was the real one who took care of Germany's borders who had secured for her male siblings and for her and Amerlia the love of the people.

Though she knew her mother was having a card to play for her and her father's benefit. She wanted the people to see her and the King as committed parents and responsible monarchs, strong but loving and caring to their family as well. Behind closed doors the people would never realize Mary was not the favorite of her mother, or that her father always would second Philip Jr over all his decisions, be them right or wrong, or that Philip was incapable of becoming a strong ruler like their sibling John.

John ... if he had been here he would not have been quiet like her servants and Gertrude. He would have rised up to her defense.

She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Blood was drawn from them as she succumbed to her anger, her desire for revenge. She would not let this rest, she would find a way to make him pay for disrespecting her.

If the Duke of Savoy wanted to play a game of cat and mouse to see who won over the other, she would play and first rule of the game always make your oponnent think you are beaten.

* * *

For two days the Princess did not come from her room, except for breakfest and dinner,** after** they would be gone. And good ridance thought Fleming for he did not want to witness another squabble between Eustace and the young woman.

They were both as stubborn as the last pair that came to his mind. Mary Tudor and back then the humanist Eustace Chapuys.

Eustace called to Fleming snapping him from his thoughts -"How much longer does her little tantrum will go on? I don't have time for this"

"Maybe you should apologize old friend."

Chapuys barked in laughter.

"What is so funny?" Asked Fleming with discontent evident in his tone.

"I was waiting for a self centered girl with her head in the clouds and I got a moralist Princess."

"What do you mean?"

"Haven't you seen her income? Haven't you wondered where all of it goes to?" Chapuys inquired.

Fleming did not know what this had to do with anything, but he responded anyway.

"No" he said shaking his head.

Chapuys let another bark of laughter escape from his lips madly as he walked to Fleming.

"You are getting sloppy." He said reprimanding Fleming "The Princess should have built more castles in honor of her parents or of herself like others before her, however most of her money has not been reported directly to her father. In fact much of what she reports is a lie. She always misses more than fifty percent of what her father brings to Brandenburg. Her mother I should have expected her to know better, but her daughter is smarter than I thought."

Chapuys hand passed through his hair. He had been pondering on where all the money that was "missing" from her reports she gave to the German Crown went. Until yesterday after hearing the Princess curse him in Italian, probably unaware that he could speak it better than her. He had looked through her personal files. It was very easy. All he had to do was pass through the maids that had been more preocuppied with their Mistress than with taking care of her personal files.

He had not bothered to make it evident it had not been him. He had enough evidence in his hands to blackmail the Princess if she dared to say anything to her father.

"I get those papers you are taking from your drawer old chap are the Princess'?"

"Fleming I am a politician you know this better than me" He mentioned closing his drawer and handing the stack of financial papers to Fleming who took it almost immediately to satisfy his curiosity, despite his head telling him he should not pry into others' businesses.

"The Princess has been given half her income investing with those abolitionists, those that have sabotaged the slave trade"

"How do they ever manage to sabotage the slave trade ships?" Fleming said voicing thoughts aloud.

Chapuys smirked at the naivety of Fleming. "You are not thinking big" -He said.

"Then pray tell have you discovered?" Asked Fleming in a frustrad voice. "Just what are you not telling Eustace?" He now demanded seeing the Duke's trademark smirk widen.

Eustace walked to the door, he made sure it was locked. When he did he wheeled facing Fleming again.

"The Princess" he began - "has been part of an underground network that sets slaves free. Is the only reason why she buys them, she sets free all of them. Technically it might appear they are not, but on paper they are free. See just look at the papers in the middle you will see how perfectly she has worked with others in her father's parliament to set many free, not only that return them back in Africa with a secure income after they have been treated by her own Physicians. Those who have stayed here have been given small lands or farms if you will. She has been giving greater sums of money to the new schools of thoughts and our mysterious contributor to the School of Grammar established in Savoy -"

Flemings eyebrows were raised and his eyes went wide with surprise.

_No._

"Don't tell me-"

"Exactly" said Chapuys interrupting him, his grin even wider "Our favorite _hostess_ Princess Mary Eleanor" He responded laughing even harder as he saw his friend stupefied look.


	13. Contradictions

********

****

____

_A/N: Thanks again to all my reviewers_

_And thanks for SSLE AND VAINXLIFEPOETESS for encouraging me to update and to everyone who has reviewed and read, here is a chapter for all of you!_

~Marcela Narcissa

* * *

**"Don't live a lie you won't be lost" ~Miley Cyrus in Liberty walk (inspired by VXLP' Shifting Paths latest chapter)**

* * *

_Because you asked for it..._

**Brandenburg,**

**Princess Mary Eleanor's residence:**

She hated being locked in her room. She could not stand the suffocating air anymore, she was coming out.

She didn't care if she saw that dreadful man and his butler, she needed air not the hot air in her room.

The moment she walked downstairs she heard the voice of the Duke calling her.

She spun around and faced the proud looking noble.

"Your Grace? Up so early?" She inquired amused.

He returned her smirk.

"I must say that the hot air in your room must have blinded you, it is midnight Your Highness" He said his smirk growing wider as he saw her smirk shift into a frown.

She looked away from him and went downstairs ignoring his fits of laughter.

* * *

Mary Eleanor mumbled many curses under her breath. Very unlady-like her mother would say, she didn't give two hoots now what her mother or the rest of her family, including the only member whom she considered decent (John), would say. She just wanted to escape from the hot environment of her Household.

She found that the entrance doors were deserted.

Why? She asked herself inwardly, then she remembered, I ordered Gertrude to dismiss all the guard.

Everyone was asleep now.

If she had not closed her windows she would have noticed it had been midnight when she woke up from her long slumber.

Seeing no one was around, including that odious Duke of Savoy, she took her chance to explore the forests of her Household at night. She had always been surrounded day and night by house maids, ladies in waiting, people who wanted to take advantage of the fact she was a woman. She did not mind being called a frail woman with the a weak body, it was being taken as a fool that bothered her. Her mother was more frail than her, after three sucessful pregnancies, her health had been in decline. The physicians said it would be dangerous if she became pregnant, it was the sole reason why her parents seldom shared a bedroom anymore. Her mother did not want to take the risk and her father loved her too much to see her suffering.

Her mother had moved her Household from Simmerm to Bavaria where her husband resided but instead of living in the same roof like she used to with her husband, the Queen of Bavaria had moved to a different Household. Mary's father did not resent his wife's decission, on the contrary he said he understood her and was more than glad that she would move to the Country where he hoped her health would improve.

During that time it became the period of construction. The Reich turbulent as it had started had become now the center of education, new architecture of the old ages, roman and many other styles were added to the new buildings. Her mother was a visionary, she intended to make a Camelot out of Germany. She had become German in every sense in the word. "Mother Patriot" she was called by all who came to know her, the diplomats from her own country grew to admire her, and in Spain they could not deny she had changed and matured in many ways. She had opened the doors to foreign trade once more after years of being held under strict supervision by its previous staunchly protestant rulers.

Germany had grown thanks to her father's advisors, and to her mother.

She wanted the same for Brandenburg. She knew she had to show her progress to her parents by being less hostile toward the Duke of Savoy. But why did she have to be? He was a slave trader and a sympathizer of everything she and the other intellectuals (new men) in her father's court stood against. Why should she show herself hospitable to him?

Not realizing she had gotten far from her property, she looked up to see the moon. It was not full like two days ago when the Duke of Savoy had come into her life again. Today it was only half moon, but still she could barely see it since black clouds were surrounding it.

It suddenly became very cold.

She shivered as a gust of wind came in her direction.

She looked around. There were so many trees around, she had not realized the forest could be so big, and everything was very dark, where the forest begun and where it ended she no longer knew.

A twig had snapped from behind her.

"Hello? Somebody here!" She asked aloud. There was only malicious laughter that rang as she screamed louder for help.

Two bright figures came her way wearing dark cloaks.

Mary became very scared.

They were laughing, as they got closer one of them she could see though it was very dark, grinned with his mouth opened showing his teeth, one golden tooth showed.

Mary spun around and began to ran but it was no use, she did not know these woods very well and she immediately got caught by a figure that had been hiding in one of the trees.

"Got you"

The figure said laughing hard as the others as he brought her to them.

"Look what a nice lass we found!" The one with the golden tooth said.

"Why" said the other next to him. "I think she is the Princess Mary Eleanor!"

"No way" Said the gold tooth man.

"Really idiot look at her dress!"

"Same like other nobles"

"No, just look at the crest adorning the front of her dress at her chest" At the man's last word who was holding everyone laughed once more.

She struggled under her captor's arms.

"Feisty is this one like her mother. How much do you think they will give us for her?"

"Who cares? Wait till the whole town knows! That will give us enough food to eat!"

"Yeah damn her and her parents! When her mother put all those new pieces of shit churches and buildings on the ports, all the taxes she increased on us!"

"What do you expect from a royal? Damn all them straight right mate to hell!" The man holding her said he spit at her hair.

Mary did not give up, she stepped using her high heel shoes that she was always told not to wear, to step on his feet. First one making him flinch, then the other making him scream harder and finally she elbowed him on the stomach making him release her.

The others were quick but she was quick too. Mary realized that since they had been the only one mocking her this entire time, that no one else was probably hiding at the forest.

She did not know where her household was at, or where she was going but only one thought was on her mind right now, to get to safety.

She ran as fast as she could, but her high heels though they had helped her earlier had proven to be her greatest disadvantage as she lost balance and fell to the cold and hard ground.

Mary quickly got up, but the men were to near her for her to get away, one of them grabbed her hair, and she screamed in panic and in pain as she was thrown aside like some ragdoll to one of the many trees in the forest.

"Ahhh!" She screamed harder when the same men she guessed by the rough sound of his voice, grabbed her by her shoulders and threw her once more to the ground.

"That will show you wench!" They all screamed.

She thought of her mother, her father even her odious brother, Amelia, poor little girl Amelia that sibbling of hers tormented her and yet she still loved her, just like she loved her brother John. She would never see them again, but out of nowhere she saw a figure faster than what the wind could carry throw himself at the man who had thrown her.

"Who do you-" He did not get to finish his phrase as her mysterious rescuer hit him square in the face, the other two did not stand a chance against him either as the gold tooth man flung himself at her rescuer. He was faster she noticed than him, he hit him square in the face then in the chest with his knee as he grabbed his both shoulder with such strength that after his knee kick it made the man spit out blood.

He was knocked unconscious, the last of the trio too afraid to be arrested, knowing the consequences for touching a Princess whose body was considered more than sacred, ran away not looking back.

A hand was offered by the stranger who had come to her rescue. She gladly took it and said with a tired voice -"Thank you so much Herr ..."

She grew quiet as the moonlight after the clouds had dispersed from it, showed her stranger's identity.

It was the Duke of Savoy!

"Your Grace!" She asked astounded, her mouth gawking at him like a fish.

Chapuys could have almost laughed out loud at the scene, he found all this very comedic.

Now he could boast all he wanted that he had saved more than just the Princess' life, he had saved her honor. No doubt now her parents with the Princess included would be forever indebted to him.

He grined and said lightly "You are welcome. These forests are too dangerous for a lady like yourself"

She let go of his hand quickly. "I believe the term is Princess" She reminded.

Chapuys laughed inwardly. Ever the arrogant Wittelsbach trying to feel more especial than what she really was.

"Is that any way to show your gratitude to the man who saved your life and your honor?"

Mary rolled her eyes inwardly.

Like she would succumb to gratitude for him, but then a little voice in her head reminded her that she did owe him something. Not everyone comes to her rescue and saves her from three thieves that were ready to rape her or worse ...

"Fine" she grumbbled tilting her head away from his amused looks. "I am thankful you rescued me there like it?" She said turning to him once more and walking past him.

"Ah Your Highness" He said still chuckling.

She wheeled. "What?" She asked exasperated. What did he want now?

"Your Household is this way" He said pointing to his direction.

Mary was not going to make another scene that would make her look like a fool in his presence, she merely began walking his direction, avoiding the amused look and ignoring the chuckles that were escaping from his mouth.

After they finally reached her Household and came inside to the living room, she asked him.

"Why did you follow me? Don't tell me you were worried?" She asked a playful smile coming to form as she watched his silly grin die down.

"It is getting late ..."

Oh no, not this time, she thought.

She always had to stay to answer her questions, now it was her turn to get some answers from him, but before she could speak he cleared his throat and with a serious voice he further said, "You have leaves on your hair, dirt on the floor and I believe you lost your favorite diadem"

Thinking victory was his he turned to leave, but this was not over yet.

"Your Grace knows you have to answer me by god giving right!"

He wheeled to face for what he was hoping was going to be the last time today. "Highness be glad that I saved your life, as to why I followed you, it would be bad for business if the Princess of Brandenburg appeared dead, your father would be very displeased"

Her eyebrows arched not buying what his explanation.

"So is that what bothered you? A business transaction?" She shook her head. "No admit it, you were worried."

He sighed.

"Princess, unlike other men who believe looks are everything, I see past that."

"Oh?" she inquired interested now. She walked to his direction. "What do your eyes focus on then?" She asked in a low voice.

He leaned forward, their faces centimeters away. He could feel her breath, smell her perfume, and feel her skin even without having touched it.

"Why don't you ask your father?" He suggested.

Mary's eyebrows became knitted as she took a step back. "My father?" What did her father have to do with anything?

As if reading her mind he said -"Your father will be very indebted with me finding out not only did I save his daughter, but also that she has been engaging in very tricky business... You knowI always did wonder why you did not build as many structures honoring your rule or your father's." He said nonchalantly.

Mary never being the nervous type did not flinch. She knew what he meant and where he was getting at, but she feigned perfect stupidty as she innocently asked with an inquiring look.

"Your Grace what are you getting at?"

He chuckled lightly once more. Her innocent looks were enough to fool any man, but not him.

"You do deny then that you have carelessly spent your father's purse he gives you each month plus the income of the taxes to build schools and help free slaves ... you have been very sneaky Princess."

"Your Grace you are right it is getting late, and I see the moonlight has affected your reasoning" She said walking past him to her room.

He followed her.

"Your Grace this is hardly called for" She commented after reaching for her chambers.

Chapuys was with her every step of the way, he even managed to get to her chambers before she could close them.

"Before we play the good and bad cop I suggest you really tell me why are you doing all of this?" She asked completely dismayed at the never of this man. What made him think he could enter her chambers and ask her questions like she was some commoner?

Eustace could care less if anybody heard them now or if her silly maid Gertrude or whatever her name was, came running in to find them in her chambers. He had enough evidence here to silence her protests.

"You have been aiding your father's courtiers, so called new men" Chapuys huffed at his last words "to sabotage the slave trade enterprise, and recently the schools I have helped build in my native land Savoy -you have been our greatest contributor. Tell me why is it that you do this when you know full who I have done business with?" He inquired roughly.

Though he knew part of the answer, he wanted to hear it from her own lips and he was not going to leave as he put himself between her and the door until he got a straight and honest answer from her.

Mary did not want to voice her thoughts, what she thought of him but he was pushing it.

Finally after seeing he was not going to give up his odyssey to get the truth from her, she released her anger at him.

"What should I say? You are a slave trader, you trade with people's lives. I on the other hand have managed to hide everything, I don't need to inquire how you know everything Your Grace clearly you have done your homework very well, but I will say this, if you think you can blackmail me you are dead wrong for I also have my ways to have the evidence of my transactions disappear"

He applauded to her naivety.

"Bravo Princess, you are number on my list of fools. Do you think I would say all I know without any proof?"

"What do you mean?"

"I have been to your study, I have seen the sums, the papers, what you have done to disguise your losses or as you tell your mother -your financial losses of her capital"

Mary's eyes went wide no longer able to hide her emotions. Her hands bawled into fists.

"You are on thin ice Your Grace"

"No Highness you are" He said "And unless you don't want me to let this information slip from my hands, you never know how careless I can be, I can forget to hide these papers, your father might find them when and if I call him to tell him that his last shipment of slaves was lost and returned to Africa by a mysterious benefactor that paid everything to see the slaves become free me."

She hated seeing that smirk returning, and she hated being manipulated.

"One word of advice, next time that you do this please, really please don't leave these papers on top of your desk so careless. You should have burn them"

He twisted the door knob and opened the door to leave, but the Princess' voice stopped him.

"Wait!" She said running to him.

"You are not going to tell my parents? Why? I basically confessed to you I ruined my father's and yours, last transaction"

Chapuys wheeled to face her.

"It hardly seems illogical" She said becoming more confused than ever.

In a serious tone and his face now devoid of all amusement, he said -"You are a good ruler but you are very careless like a child. You go around and make noise, stir your father's boat and stir your mother's anger. You should know better ..."

"Thank you?" She asked uncertain of what this man wanted anymore. She had given up understanding him.

"I only want to see a good ruler on the Reich Princess, I see you would be a good one, I am a business man, slave trade is not the only business I do. I do many others, believe it or not slave trade is just a small business that I rarely engage in. If it dies down I will find new business, and witih the school that thanks to you it prospers, I will have new subjects that will do business with me, as people who will go off to become diplomats for the Holy Roman Empire or for other goverments -contacts that I will need more in the future" He finished leaving her at last and closing the door for her.

"Good night Princess" It was last whispered by Eustace.

Mary went to her bed, she ignored the itchy feeling in her hair by all the leaves that were still there. With her back propped against the pillows, she let herself fall into deep thought.

Why had he even bothered to rescue her when he could clearly have let her die? She had ruin him and her father many times ... but then there was the noble man she saw in the forest coming to her rescue, standing up to those men not afraid of getting hurt.

Just who was Eustace Rolf, the Duke of Savoy?'

* * *

Why had he even done it? Why had he even rescued her? A million questions like these rang in his head as he walked to his chambers.

He could have left her to rot, but no something out of some moral qualm left in him, prevented him from not caring for the arrogant Princess.

He felt he owed her something -what did he ower her?

Gratitude for what? She had not even showed her gratitude when she found out he had saved her?

What did he owe her? Her parents were the biggest enemies he had now besides his long list of enemies where his plans had set in motion to destroy them all, even his former Princess, a true Princess whe met her -he thought- husband the King of Germany.

His plans were now in motion, the pawns had already been set without those Royal fools knowing it. He was using questionable methods through his many businesses and trade with men without scrupules like him to bring them all of his enemies down.

His contacts in London who wanted nothing more than to see the Queen Dowager punished for her husband's crimes were ready at his command, in Spain many whom had suffered torture for their religion at the hands of his former master's son, Philip II were ready as well. Now all he needed was to move his knights to take down the Wittelsbachs.

But today when he thought he could stand to see the Princess humiliated, raped, tortured and killed he found he could not and without any good reason to explain his actions, he had gone to her rescue before they could take her honor. He could have died there. In that moment thoughts of death and revenge abandoned him. All that had mattered had been her safety and when he had made sure that she was safe, she had looked at her expectantly, the way a father looks to a daughter.

His worry turned to regret when she had voiced frustration and the same regret he later felt when she saw him.

Why was he even bothering to give her advice? Her family was going to fall anyway, why bother to care?


	14. Take a deep breath

****

**A/N: Sorry for the tardyness, my fault, no pun intended, here you go as promised in the yahoo forums, if you haven't joined I really suggest it, it is an open forum for all topics not just history.**

**If you need help with your fics, that the adequate place to go.**

**Now here is the story and thanks to Caro for some information on Thomas Stukeley and several people of the period, plus of the Dukedoms, the Earldoms and many other things of England and abroad, thanks to SSLE for her brainstorm.**

**Anyway here we go!**

**~Marcela Narcissa**

* * *

"_When harmony, mutual consideration and trust pass out of the home, hell enters in."_

****

~David O. Mckay, Pathway to Happiness (1957)

It all happened very quick when her father's letter had arrived three weeks after the Duke had saved her from those three scums. Her father was deeply disappointed in her for all the money he gave her and she misused, somehow, SOMEONE and she had a good idea who, had told him where all her money went.

He was beyond furious, he said he was not going to tolerate her tantrums or her disobedience anymore, he personally was going to inspect her progress and oversee that Brandenburg remained in good conditions. She understood why her father cared so much about these lands, they brought great commercial wealth and of course she was destroying his commercial enterprise by freeing slaves, educating them and returning them back to Africa where they would have money and resources to build schools to help their people.

She had, her father forgot, resources too and close allies in his Court, more than her mother's who supported abolition and freedom, a new era –they had all shouted- was coming and there was nothing her parents could do to stop it, not even if they were in league with the King of England and other nations to bring slave labor to the new world.

Spain was one of the worst, Mary Eleanor considered. Since the Treaty of Tordesillas had divided the world into two, one of the worst decisions by one of the worst popes in history, Mary considered, Spain was on top of the world and alongside Portugal they controlled most of the African continent engaging in slave trade with the rest of the world, especially the Dutch who acted as the intermediates. The slave traders, the Dutch, they should be ashamed, but then again the House that was in power rivaled the Wittelsbach Dynasty, that is her family. Mary had been using an anonymous account through her own spies to buy the slaves and then work in the new world plantations, secretly their owners would be school Doctors of law and religion who would educate, preach and prepare them when she would buy their freedom to go back to Africa or stay with her as free men and have their own piece of land.

This had its flaws and critics of course, but it was a risk to pay instead of leaving them alone to worse fate at the hands of the rest of the European nations, including hers.

"Your father is going to be angry if you don't prepare yourself" Gertrude said, the letter had been sent three weeks ago. And he had just arrived at her state today, he was being greeted outside by no other than her servants, three she now knew had been his spies, otherwise why would they be spending so much time for a simple greeting with His Majesty?

She would made sure to keep a better watch under these plain servants from now on, she hated to admit it but that arrogant Duke, that slave trader had been right! How humiliated she felt to have known only until now that her father was keeping tabs on her behind her back! This was not the way for a father to behave! She thought she could expect more from him, she would not be surprised if this had been her mother's work, but her father's? It did not make sense!

And there was her father when she descended down the stairs with golden boy Philip Jr. she thought as she threw him a dirty look, one he returned giving her a smirk.

If only father could see you thought Mary, he would see right through you, you are nothing but hollow inside brother.

She hid her hands behind her back, as her father turned to the Duke of Savoy who was next to his butler, just next to Mary Eleanor and her chief lady in waiting Gertrude.

"Your Grace it is a pleasure you to meet you in person once more. I trust my daughter has not cause too much trouble" began the German King, briefly turning to his daughter giving her a look and then back to the Duke as he continued, "your stay has been comfortable. Lovely country isn't it?" He finally asked in a cordial tone.

Chapuys had to resist the urge to smack this poor excuse of a King down. So this was the man that the Princess married, an incompetent who knew nothing more but to state the obvious and had a poor taste of words?

They were all speaking in German, a language Eustace knew very well by now.

"Your Grace might you accompany to my study?" Philip asked in a neutral voice giving his daughter one quick glance before returning to the Duke.

"Of course" said Chapuys shortly. Inside he imagined a million fists colliding with the German King's handsome face. It was withered though, the signs of old age written all over his face, his once handsome green emerald eyes had lost all their sparkle, too much war and famine they had experienced. The King cared for his people, he loved his people as much as he loved his children –Chapuys would change this verse to he loves his people as much as he loved that arrogant boy Philip.

The Prince was as arrogant as he remembered his grandfather, Henry VIII to be, the way he looked at his sister, the way he held his head up arrogantly when he looked at Eustace.

He began to wonder if this was the real reason behind the Princess' reluctance to run away from home despite knowing that all her supposed power in Brandenburg was nothing but a good hoax perpetrated by her parents. Whatever the truth was he could care less as he had business to attend with the German King.

* * *

"Well, well, I see papa cannot keep his eyes off you. Tell me Philip who was it this time? The maid from Savoy? The Lady In Waiting, Engel from my mother's Household, was it our father's usher's wife, or was it another poor bastard girl from the brothels?" She asked coyly going upstairs to her bedroom.

Philip smirked going after her, before she could go inside her bedroom he grabbed her arm pulling her closer to him.

"Let me go" She hissed in pain as his hold tightened.

"When I am King I am going to be make sure that all your maids land right where I want them, and you, you and your dear charitable work will be terminated, I will make sure to send you far, maybe France, not you would be living like an Empress …hmmm where should I send my _loving_ sister?" He asked mockingly pretending to go into deep thoughts as his eyes roamed the hallways, making sure they were completely deserted. He turned back to Mary, "I know" he spoke in an excited tone, "you will be sent to England, just imagine living in England with the Queen Dowager, don't worry you will not have the privilege of marrying good old Hal, but a good marriage between one of his cousins, maybe Carey, maybe Lord Stukeley!"

Her eyes widened in horror at the mentioned of Lord Stukely of Lincoln!

"What don't you like him?"

"He is almost twice my age you idiot, I am not going to be someone's whore and someone so low born as Stukeley" The same man who made my life in the last eight years in England impossible, who started all the rumors that I was cursed having Katherine of Aragon's looks. Poor English, I did no longer hated them, I pitied them for they would never see past the physical world.

"Yes you will" He said pushing her against the wall, she flinched and hissed in pain as he pressed his elbow to her chest, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

Let me go, let me go –her mind raged but the more of her feistiness she showed in her eyes to Philip, the more he kept squeezing.

It was getting hard to breath, she felt like the oxygen was being sucked out of her lungs, she was about to pass out when seeing the pain he was causing her Philip let her go. Her knees fell to the ground, her first instinct was her hands going to her chest while coughing violently at the same time.

Philip, she thought, I am not beaten yet, this is just one more battle you have won, by the time you are King I will be sure that your reign will be as turbulent and you will see how you will submit to my will and those of all the council I will control just like my mother, just wait and see Phillip, you wait and see.

Philip snorted seeing his sister, how low she had fallen.

"Get up sister, you don't want papa seeing his _especial_ girl all beat up, my, my I wonder how the Duke is able to tolerate you. If I was him I would have begged father to transfer me to the Royal Palace in Bavaria, Holland, Simmerm or somewhere else … then again even the Americas are better than you" He burst into laughter turning away from her.

She stood up though, "Philip" she said, her hands on her back forming fists. Her father could send her a reprimand or take everything away from her, it was not worth it if this arrogant and spoiled boy was going to be her future King. Enemy or not she would not be subject to anyone, much less HIM.

"Now what?" Philip asked exasperated to have to play this little game of cat and mouse again, why couldn't Mary Eleanor just admit she was a low born Princess? Even Amelia was more sought than her, everyone in his Household praised his younger sister, the Kings and Queens of Europe sent gifts to Amelia, in the past they used to be for Mary Eleanor, but since rumors began of her association to very radical and heretical groups, her reputation had not only become slandered, it had also become a nuisance for their family, she had no idea she was ruining the Wittelsbach name, all because the insolent was trying to play Robin Hood with the slaves!

"I don't care if you tell my father, I have stood up against you many times before Henry, I am not going to be afraid of you any longer, when my father comes you tell him what you did, but I swear that if he does not believe me I will make your life regrettable, you will live in fear of me, you will see Philip. You will remember me when you are King, when your council overthrows your arrogance and squash your pride, you will see my face, when you want to make an alliance, you will remember me too, when you cannot be given the council's authorization to go to war against France or any other nation you will remember me, when you are overrun by strife and everyone (if you are capable of that) you love turns against you, see my face for you do not realize dear brother that half of my father's council trust me and would love to see John King more than you. You will be a puppet, just a figurehead as you have always been, and you will always be"

She smirked in satisfaction seeing him angrier than usual, his temperature rising, his eyes blazing with rage and bearing nothing but pure hatred. Hate me Philip, see me, really see right through me as I see through your black heart, she thought as she gave him one last (mischievous) smile turning away from him and walking down stairs.

He was not going to stand to be humiliated though.

* * *

"So we have an agreement, I will compensate you, but I do expect that half of our next cargo to arrive on time on the Americas" Philip said after they signed their last contract. He was having an awful time negotiating with the Duke of Savoy and the other traders. What his daughter had done was unforgivable, millions in property had been lost just because his daughter.

He loved Mary Eleanor, everything good in her reminded him of her mother. She was her spitting image, a carbon copy, she could pass of her clone, like sisters, except that Mary had aged, unlike other women whose age came to be noticeable in Mary it had been slow. She said she looked awful, but Philip thoughts she looked more beautiful now, he was still his Princess, it didn't matter what anyone said, she would always be his Queen and the true Princess of England.

Chapuys nodded taking his handshake "Yes we do"

They stood up from their chairs and went outside, but then the King said "If you will excuse me I need to check some things before, you can go ahead and wait for me outside Your Grace" Philip said in a very humble manner that made Chapuys raise an eyebrow as the man sat back in his chair looking at the contract.

Was he a King or was he a servant? Just why were the Germans so loyal to this man, the way he spoke, so humble it was like he was nothing more than an usher, a mere commoner. Chapuys rolled his eyes, the King's back was turned to him so he didn't see his expressions.

When he went upstairs he stopped in his tracks as he saw the Prince of Bavaria running towards his sister, he saw the rage in that boy's eyes, he knew that rage everywhere, it was the same one that greeted him every morning when he woke up to face himself in the mirror.

He ran faster than the boy to move push the Princess aside. He had seen her run before and she was terribly clumsy and her feet very lazy, she did not posses the speed or the skills to be a good runner like all the rest in her family, so he became her only salvation when he pushed her aside her back landing against the wall for the second time. He grabbed the Prince and pushed him backwards, now it was Philip's turn to be pinned down as he felt the Duke' boot on his neck.

"How dare you when my father learns of this …" He struggled to say as the boot of the Savoian Duke was pressed harder against his neck.

"You will not tell your father because you don't want my foot on your throat, I am not the only trader but others will charge more and the cargo half of it will be lost since the captains in charge of the slave ships are very irresponsible and most of them its their first time sailing, I know the routes better than anyone, so unless you want your father and your future Kingdom to be bankrupted I suggest you stop gawking at me like a fish and stand up like a man."

Philip spit at the Duke's boot. The Duke only gave him a slight smirk, "Anger serves you good, but never attack when in anger, makes you a lousy leader, think with your head then use your anger" He said taking his boot of the boy's neck.

He turned to the Princess who was already on her feet, her heart palpitating so fast, and her eyes widened at him.

"You sure you can take care of yourself?" He said giving her a look that she had to turn away growling. He was going to think that she was the one who caused this, how good, now I am made the fool thanks to HIM (Philip) again, she thought walking past the beaten figure of Philip to her room.

Before she closed the door she eyed Philip one last time, "Next time you want to push me make sure no one is there to see you Philip, you could have caused greater shame than me at our house"

"Oh" he coughed struggling to get up, it was very hard to breath when he still felt the pressure of the man's boot on his, who would say that a Duke could still have it in him. For all he knew he was a business man, he did not joust, drink or did any sports, yet the speed in which he had reached Mary Eleanor, it still shocked him.

Now up that he was finally up, he gave threw one last glare at her.

She shook her head, "Oh stop being childish for once … you would make the others think that Germans have no men, God surely must have left you out when he created good, strong men on this Earth"

"Why you-"

"Good day Philip" She said closing the door later before Philip could run to get her.

It made Chapuys feel something he had not felt in a long time … pride, seeing the King's son so humiliated by his own doing and the Princess, it brought him satisfaction.

He approached the beaten Prince "Your father is coming out any minute Your Highness" he gave a mock bow earning a glare, though Chapuys did not care, from the boy. "I suggest you rub that dirt from your collarbone and tell him you fell otherwise " -he looked down, the door to the Princess' study was still closed, he leaned forward and whispered to his ear in a low voice "I will tell of the Princess' near accident down the stairs, your father believes you, but when it comes to business he believes money better"

Chapuys walked away from the boy once he finished gown downstairs back to the Princess' studies where the King had just gotten out, papers in hand, and giving the Duke's copy to him.

"Ah I see you were conversing with my son. A formidable Prince, Phillip why is your collar all dirty?" The King asked going to his son, his papers still in hand, he gave an exasperated sigh. "You fell again, I told you not to run in the hallways, I swear it is like you are still that small ten year old, you can be all hyperactive when we get home, your mother will surely miss us"

Philip forced a smile back at his father. He and his father said their goodbyes to the Duke, the King was so mad at his daughter for what she had done against his business that he did not bother calling her down, if she wanted to throw another tantrum let her, she will get over it, just as she always did back home with her parents.

He hopped on the carriage, his son going after him. After the driver sped off, the young Prince gave Chapuys one last warning look, the Duke gave one back of amusement making the Prince more angry.

* * *

One week had passed since their incident, the Duke and the Princess were finding to spent more time together, all because they were caught in the middle of a crossfire one week ago thanks to her idiotic brother.

She was pushed to the edge around of her reason, she didn't want to do this anymore, having spent more time with the Duke of Savoy, it was getting unbearable, it really was, his presence made her very uncomfortable, she felt so tiny, her spirits and her courage would shrunk when she came to stand next to him. No one had done that to her.

"Something on your mind?" Eustace asked the Princess. She was pretending to read a book, but occassionally when she thought he wasn't looking she would take a deep breath, she would feel like something was squeezing her, what was making her act like this, why did she have to spy on him constantly? It made no sense, but seldom as her mother said life did.

When he would look to her direction her attention would be focused on her book, he knew better, he wasn't fool, he was the former Imperial Ambassador, he could read through everyone's mind and heart.

This could be a shipwreck on the shore, we could sail away forever more, this time there will no longer more sink or swim, this time it will be your song, the melody of your hair galloping against my face, against the wind pushing your curls away from me ... she finished the last part of her novel, this novel no eyes would see it, except for her. Since she had use of memory, she had always loved romance novels, they inspired her, they made her forget about the crudeness of her world, they made Mary believe that if she could she could sail away to foreign shores ... Africa she could fly there, she could now imagine it, humans flying just like in her novels, aided by Da Vinci's genius they could sail away in flying machines, nothing was impossible she believed if people committed themselves to their dream.

Chapuys looked at her, hearing the song in that laughter of hers made him smirk unconsciously, something that did not unnoticed.

"You are laughing" She said.

"No, I just remembered something funny" The Duke told her, but she was not swallowing that one this time.

"You find me funny then?" She asked her cheeks turning red.

"No, on the contrary ... I saw you laughing and I remembered a friend"

"Who was he then?" She asked suddenly interested leaving her book resting on the table.

He shook his head, he did not want to go there.

"Come on" she started going to sit next to him.

"Tell me" she pressed

"She was a friend" was all she got from him.

"Oh"

He turned away, then a thought occured, they did not have to be locked up here all day. He might be monitoring her and she might be grounded, but what was not to say she could find a way to get another laugh from the Duke, cold hearted or not she had seen him smirk, she could easily get another smirk from him.

She grabbed his hands "What are you doing?" He asked as he felt himself being dragged by her.

"Let us go to the fountain I want to show you something ..."

His eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"Don't look at me like htat, please just come"

Chapuys should have said no, but the no was banned from the Princess' vocabulary, and soon he found his legs acting on their own accord, following her to the Fountain on the Princess Household's courtyard. He had seen this fountain before, what was so especial.

"Princess?"

"Look there in the water what do you see?"

"What?"

"Just one look and I you won't have to deal with my difficult behavior anymore" She said and the Duke shrugged his shoulders doing as the Princess said, the Princess hid her mischevious smile as she knelt next to him.

"What do you see?" She asked in a low voice.

"My refleciton" he said stating the obvious.

"Are you sure, do you think your reflection would spit back at you?"

Had it finally happened? Had God answered the Prince Philip's prayers and made her sister mad? Maybe he should not have pushed her to hard against the wall, clearly Eustace had left her brain damaged.

As if guessing his thoughts she laughed lightly. "No I mean this" He could not have guessed what happened next as she grabbed the cool water running from the fountain and splashed it at the Duke's face.

He rubbed his eyes. What prank was this?

He did not have time to hink, as she kept throwing more water at him, he forgot his anger as he got lost in the melody of her laughter, and then as the sun was setting she took the opportunity knowing full well the rules, home before sun set to run back home. Chapuys was not going to let her off that easy, he took water from the fountain and splashed at her with such force that it made her favorite tiara fall.

"Ahh" she screamed, her mouth would be opened several time as he began splashing her even more, and then came the greatest shock when she felt something cool thrown at her chest, "Ugh" she said looking at the mud ball he had thrown at her, she loooked up at him. He was smirking and snorting at her covering his hand later to laugh discreetly.

"What are you looking at?"

"You look very good Princess, congratulations at the new decorations." She was going to say something when he saw him bend over to make another mud ball, oh no, she thought running back to her castle, the Duke chasing after.

"No, no" she said screaming and laughing.

The mud ball came to land on top of her head at the exact same time they had entered the Castle.

The servants were eyeing the scene unsure what to think, they called her chief lady in waiting, Gertrude, who was just as shocked as they all were.

What was wrong with this picture? She had to leave thoughts aside, she felt like she had landed in an alternate dimension, the Duke and Princess laughing? Just who were they and what had they done to the real Princess and Duke.

Mary turned to Gertrude "Tis alright Gertrude, prepare me a hot bath" she said in between laughter, the Duke was laughing too, Fleming said nothing after the Princess and Frau Gertrude left to prepare the Princess for her bath. It would seem another would have to be prepared for his master too, as his hands were stained with dirty and he was completely wet.

* * *

**A/N: I was inspired by SSLE and VainXlifepoetess (Caro) to put the song sink or swim incorporating it in the dialogue at the end and then also songs from SSLE and VainXLifePoetess' quotes inspired me too.**

**If you need any help go to them!**


	15. Obstacles

**A/N: As I promised I will deliver.**

**Though not my most prized possession thanks for reviewing this story everyone!**

**Now let's move on, pay attention to these chapters for this is where all the plot shifts!**

**I would really recommend you listen to this song while reading this and next chapter, first part hear, last part of the song next chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

**~Marcela Narcissa**

* * *

_"All around me are familiar faces, _

_born out places_

_warn out faces,_

_bright and early for the daily races going nowhere_

_going nowhere ..._

_their tears are filling up their glasses, no expression_

_no expression .._

_Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow, no tomorrow ..._

_no tomorrow ..._

_And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad_

_the dreams in which I am dying are the best I have ever had,_

_I find it hard to take,_

_when people run in circles is a very mad world,_

_mad world"_

_~Mad World 1st part by Gary Jules_

Not long after Mary Eleanor had taken a bath she had gone to bed. Her maids had a hard taking the mud from the Princess' hair plus the leaves stuck in her scalp, it tickled when they tried to free her hair of them.

When she got out of the tub Gertrude and the others helped her into her silken red nightgown, it was forbidden for her to have such guilty pleasures, but why couldn't she have this pleasure? Red was the color of passion and desire, and she was no stranger to passion. Everyone in her father's court had known her for her passion, it was what made her defy her parents' in the same place. When Gertrude had told her that passion was not fitting of a Princess, Mary Eleanor had challenged Gertrude with a hypothetical question –if she could not have passion herself, if she could not have the pleasures of the external world to rejoice whenever triumph was hers, or have the sense of fulfillment that others below her had, then why was it great men wrote in favor it, men such as Kings and great philosophers even before her parents' times?

Gertrude was not a scholar, she was not well educated like her Mistress, despite Mary's attempt to try to teach her best lady in waiting to read, they proved futile when Gertrude made it clear she did not want to ready, she was happy the way she was. Words were not for a woman, and why waste time in words when there was so much out there in the world to have, like riches, jewels a handsome spouse and children?

The prospect of children was always a subject Gertrude was very careful to approach Mary with, everyone knew she was very reluctant to become a bride, she hated it, when she was little Mary remembered all the Queen's taunts, her brother's and then her cousin's, she had seen her mother vulnerable to attacks as well, in home she would have an iron will but outside of her home in England she would put her iron will to rest, only when she got to be Regent of her husband's Reich did she get the freedom she always wanted, to rule alongside her husband like Isabel of Castilla and Fernando of Aragon had ruled Spain in equal and sometimes separate ways.

It was a contradiction seeing her mother so passive before her enemies in England, so beaten, and yet at home she was so strong, so tough … it was a puzzle, a puzzle Mary did not intend to work on for the moment that she dismissed all her maids, including Gertrude, while hugging herself thinking of someone else as she closed her eyes to sleep, the image of him haunting him even in her dreams.

* * *

The virus of her laughter was an infection that kept spreading like a mortal disease, like the sweating sickness into his body, into his manhood as he woke up from a nightmare in which he and the German Princess had done more than just playing in the mud, but they had kissed and she had moaned after their kiss ended screaming his name.

What was wrong with him? She was only a mere school girl, just a silly girl who thought she could save the world, another idealist fool –and here you are Eustace falling head over heels for that idealist fool –his mind sarcastically replied.

It was an intoxication that had spread to his heart, an organ he no longer thought was operating him, and it had gone up to his head, he thought about her every day, every night after two weeks of dreaming with her, feeling her touch on his lips, the kiss of her soft rosy lips and her tongue inside his mouth, her hands around his neck saying his name once he …

No, stop it, don't be ridiculous, she is just a tool, another pawn, one of many he had used.

* * *

But the dreams did not stop, and when Eustace had told Fleming to go he looked at the letter, it was the letter his spies, men he had bought with only a tenth of his fortune in the Spanish Court in Madrid, had told him of the King of Spain's predicament. He wanted to wed the King of England's sister, but because the King of England influenced by his mother –Eustace was sure of this- no doubt he would not accept the alliance, he would opt for an alliance with half sister, now bastard, Chapuys thought in disdain remembering the pain and anger he felt when he heard still in his damp cell in the Tower of London that the Pope had betrayed his Princess, and his Master, Charles V, as well. Then that anger turned to rage when after he felt the humiliation of knowing his Princess, the venerable and pious daughter of Katherine of Aragon had married a heretic, and not just any heretic, but a man who had started to be so below her, it turned to pure hatred after his rage, hatred at himself, at all the people, including the woman he had once served, even sacrificed his career, his own life an conscience!

Snapping from all those unpleasant thoughts he returned to scan the contents of the letter to make sure he was getting the information right. He needed to practice more on the signature of the King of Spain, if he was to have that little arrogant man stripped from his throne. For nothing he had made sure that no woman of his ended up pregnant and by God he had succeeded so far. With a few tricks and herbal medicine he had learned from some of the slaves in Africa that he had later freed with good compensation for their services, he had found out about ways to suppress the seed of a man from reaching the woman.

He had instructed great care to the contents of the recipe, one of the doctors who had moved to Spain, formerly working under Mary Tudor's watch in England –Dr. de La Sa had become the chief physician of Philip II's Court, Eustace had become his main provider, he was the one responsible for the Doctor getting a good recommendation and good income to start a new life, they all thought the Doctor had good money saved but it was all Eustace's, the treasure of Espada brought him great fortunes, he could squander half of it and he would still be able to buy many men and physicians, and with the many business he controlled his fortunes were growing.

Dr. de la Sa had mixed the recipe well, and he had become a very trustworthy disciple of Philip, for the man followed Philip's orders like a blind man followed his dog guide, he did not question, he did not hesitate, he obeyed.

The Doctor though Eustace did not true. He may be a spy, and he may have won Philip's confidence, but that was Philip's not him, the years had changed Eustace, the only thing left in him that remained of his old self was to be wary of stranger, and never, ever to trust.

Trust was good for women, fools and idealists, but for a man like him? It was better not to trust.

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter up soon**


	16. Sinful union

**A/N: And here you go next chapter,**

**Now review!**

**Queens' Twilight First Part is being finished today, there is a little chary, a little POBMary, and there will be a second part very chapuys, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth focused.**

**~Marcela Narcissa**

**

* * *

**

_"Children waiting for the day they feel good, _

_happy birthday_

_happy birthday ..._

_Made to feel the way that every child should -sit and listen_

_sit and listen ..._

_went to school and I was very nervous, no one knew me_

_no one knew me..._

_Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson, _

_look right through me,_

_look right through me ..._

_And I find it kind of funny, _

_I find it kind of sad, that the dreams in which I am dying are the best ones I've ever had_

_I find it hard to tell, I find it hard to take_

_when people run in circles is a very -mad world_

_mad world ..._

_Enlargen your world_

_mad world"_

_~Mad world last part by Gary Jules._

**Madrid,**

Philip could not explain it. One marriage, and woman after woman, including his mistresses not one heir. Rumors were going around, spread by his own family that he was impotent! What was this nonsense! He needed a marriage soon and fast, and he needed that papal bull soon to divorce his sterile wife and get him a new one, the Hapsburg line in Spain would not end because of him, he would not throw away centuries of hard work, especially by his great grandmother the great Isabel of Castilla, all she had done to build an Empire for her line to continue THROUGH HIM –and now the Tratasmara line was dying and it was all because of his wife's inability to produce an heir, even a girl now –what he would give now for just a girl –it proved to him how desperate he was.

He rubbed his forehead as he let his elbows rest on his desk. If he could not have a son or daughter, Spain would be left to a Portuguese Prince, he could not allow that calamity to happen, not to Spain!

* * *

**Brandenburg**

Mary was practicing her music. Nobody liked to listen in this dull Castle to her sing, the servants were too ignorant to appreciate good music, and Gertrude was always fantasizing about men and marriage that it only left Mary Eleanor with no choice but to practice and enjoy her singing.

Most of the household were at the kitchens celebrating her housekeepr's birthday, she was a very old woman of sixty five and very respected by all her household, including the Princess. She promised and she kept that promise that she would visit her housekeeper and be the first to wish her a happy birthday.

The old woman had been very delighted when she heard the words being spoken from the Princess, she praised the young woman saying bless her for her good heart and for being the kindest lady in all of Christendom.

God be with you child –was Mistress Hollzenberg's words. Mary was very attached to that woman, for she had watched over her and nursed her when she was a child, Philip had brought her from Bavaria as her mother had nursed her father, when he was only a little Count Palatine with no possibility, who could expect, of ever becoming Duke, let alone unify most of Germany transforming it into the fifth running European nation controlling trade and commerce of land and sea.

Her old nana had begged her to stay and share some cake with her, but Mary told her no –it cause her great pain to say no, but she had practice and she did not want to be with the rest of her Household, especially because it brought her nostalgia how they –who barely had anything- had more in each other, than she who had been born with the silver spoon in the golden cradle.

So here she was practicing, her lonely existence forgotten as the servants and the rest of her Household kept cheering her old nana happy birthday and sang her, their singing deafening she lost sight of what she was doing and left her practice.

She needed a walk desperately, she was tired of being watched day and night by the guards her father had put outside her Household, they were not here though today, but she was sure, knowing her mother, her absence would be known almost immediately. Her mother had eagle eyes, she did not miss anything, she had a great spy network that rivaled hers if her father, if her mother wanted something known she would get her wish as she was proving to becoming more cunning and sly with age than her father.

Don't motivate yourself; motivation is your enemy as is the illusion of family. Family –she thought wryly –why did people took so much care and importance over the family? What was so good about a family anyways?

Maybe for some family is not a curse –oh yeah she asked back to her mind –for whom for example?

Her mind did not answer. Mary Eleanor went up to her bedroom, it was getting late and any minute the rests of the Household would return to their respective quarters as with her father's new rules no one was allowed to stay late, including herself.

Mary stopped herself as she turned around to see hear a door being opened, she walked –she did not know what made her do it, but when she realized it was the Duke's door she turned the opposite way however it became too late as her presence was discovered by no other than the Duke.

"Your Highness" Damn she thought –why did he have to hear everything? Didn't the man ever sleep?

Her guess was not as he walked in her direction, his heavy footstalls was not what was distracting but the scent of the perfume he worse, a perfume she had been hijacked by ever since he had defended her from those thugs when she had gotten lost in the forest, the scent that had clouded her senses distracting her, making her an easy target for the mud ball he had thrown at her.

Had it passed so long since then? It had seemed yesterday when they had chased each other with the water of the fountain and the mud of the ground. He had caught her there, she had told himself, making the excuse that it was because of her perfume, something in that perfume made her act weak, like a silly child hungry for attention –his attention.

She ignored his calling coming back to her senses walking to her bedroom, however slow as she always was he got to her room at the same time she did, preventing her once she was inside there with him, to escape his presence.

Watch for men my daughter, she could hear her mother say, as he approached her, why such a disapproval in his face? What had she done or said now?

"Go away" she said but he ignored her pleading eyes.

"You have avoided my question, and your mother's commands, she has summoned your lady in waiting back to her Household, why have you not returned, how important can she be to you?"

"How dare you?" she said her hands becoming fists, she could feel her nails deep inside her flesh, how dare he, he only a servant, nothing, not an ounce of royal blood in him to address her in this disrespectful manner!

"I am a Princess and you bear no ounce of Royal blood in you, you are nothing but a servant, MY father's servant, what makes you think you can talk to the Princess of Brandenburg this way?" She asked boldly pausing for several seconds to catch her breath before continuing –"If I would have my way I would have thrown you and all of your servants from Germany the moment you came in here, you bring nothing but shame to our house"

She sat on her bed, what this man was doing to her she did not know, but she suddenly felt tired, extremely tired, no other person had this effect on her person, not even Philip and he had done a lot to her in the physical sense of every abuse she could remember from the time since they were kids.

Chapuys walked to her direction and sat next to her bed, there was so much secrets that those eyes held, the same eyes, the same color line of her skin, her pupils, her lips that made him remember another time where he was the Ambassador consoling a distraught Princess.

Mary's gaze fell on the floor, how stupid she must be right now. If her mother or Philip could see her, especially Philip she would not hear the end of it, he would laugh of her and mock her that she had finally broken and not by any Royal hand but by the hand of a mere commoner.

Was this how low she had sunken by accepting defeat at the Duke's words?

However as Mary lay thinking of all that the Duke would say to her, she looked up to meet a different look from him, there were no words, no expression, no taunting, not even cold glares, just him and her staring at each other in silence.

What happened next surprised her as he sat next to her.

"You think I am being weak"

She hated herself for every minute that she spoke.

"I don't know why I am telling you this, but thanks really I thank you for saving me from Philip, and first from those miserable bunch in the forest. I feel I would have fared better though with those bunch than with Philip –he has always been that way, childish and he has seen as nothing more than an obstacle, since we were little …" she looked now to his eyes, her dark grey against the blues eyes she had landed her sight on. She felt hypnotized by them –they had shifted from being so cold, indifferent to her suffering to soft and filled with warmness now. "Now he will look for new ways to torture me, and my mother –she just has eyes for Amelia, the Regency, my father and my brothers … I only remind her of what she had to went through before having what she always yearned –a family, husband and kids all her wishes come true."

"Is that the reason why you have refused to marry, at an age when a woman should be married already especially a Princess?" He asked boldly expecting her to put up a fight.

She did not feel like fighting, her strength had failed her the more she felt his piercing glare penetrate the depths of her soul.

Mary Eleanor nodded. "I am not going to end like the rest, I don't want to be anyone else's subject, it is either rule or nothing, I cannot accept second place … never"

"Never?" He asked.

She smirked, shaking her head vigorously she replied "Never"

What happened next no one could predict as Mary Eleanor felt herself approach the Duke, a man she had said to repudiate and hate, and yet a man whom she owed so much, a man who had saved her two times.

She did not need to make the first move as she felt his lips first on hers, he had returned her gesture, if this was his way to accept her thanks than she could get used to this. Never had she been kissed, she always despised the idea behind it for it carried pleasure, desire, love and that always brought nothing but a diseased that infect your blood and ends up by taking away all of what little free will a woman is born with.

Her kiss, having no experience in this before turned more passionate, as she hung her arms around his neck, for a young lady as inexperienced as her, Chapuys found himself joining her incontrollable desire that made them want more of each other.

He forced his tongue inside her, he found little resistance as she grant him entrance, it soon became incontrollable as she laid on the bed and he was now on top of her beginning to undress her, her eyes became closed, the former sadness and yearning in her heart for family had been erased now her heart was burning with passion and desire taking over their reasoning made them engage in –at least from her perspective- sinful pleasures.

The damage was now being done, and there was no way of stopping it as his hands tore through her gown, it was her favorite gown and she heard the fabric being torn but she did not care, soon her corset followed and he was no exception as she took of his doublet after he had taken off his boots, his chemise was the last thing left on his body for her to take off, she opened his eyes for she wanted to see for herself his chest, she wanted to feel it, to see this man for the first time in all aspects and she was not disappointed when he saw his well built chest, not muscular but well built landing on top of her naked chest.

Her hips almost as in instinct knowing what had to come next to consummate this sinful union separated making way for him, her hand running through his hair, the other on the sheets clutching with deep fervor the sheets and his hair as she felt him enter her, what she had felt before in the kiss, his scent it was nothing compared to what she was experiencing now, she let herself be lost in it.

Chapuys heard her moans, he could not smile he could not say her name even if he wanted for this was something new for him, the women he had been only three in his youth had all been with other men before, but she, the Princess was different, not because of her virginity, but because she was unlike others, she was fiery, she was an idealist, she was brave and she didn't hold back.

And yet she was good natured, innocent, a perfect balance of her mother and father, no not of them she was her own person.

"Eustace" she heard his name being spoken. He forced his eyes open looking at her loving dark grey eyes, they were not lost in desire as his, they were looking at him expectantly, by now as his movements inside her became more rapidly, she no longer complained, awaiting the inevitably she lifted her head and kissed his lips causing more arousal to the man and breaking free of his restraint he let himself release inside her, he was awarded later after they both separated from exhaustion with another kiss on his neck making him moan even harder.

Her other hand was still clutching the bed sheets, the pain that had made her flinch when he first started had transformed into a heavenly pleasure she could not get enough, she was relieved though feeling him depart for she did not know how much more of his seed she could handle. There was blood but they did not give importance on her bed sheets, the pain had subsided long before he had pulled from her, he had made her enter a state of bliss that was not over yet. Her hand reached now pulling away from the cover for his face as he lay next to her now, to bring his lips closer to hers once more.

It was done, she would be dragged into the mud just like when he had first thrown mud at her when they'd been playing the game of cat and mouse outside in the fountain. With a soft giggle coming from the Princess as he traced her neckline, his lips landing on her neck, her eyes acquired a different glint as did his.

He became too exhausted after she sighed and laid her head to rest at his neck, he did not have any more strength to stay awake though he wanted too, he felt that it was an alien force that was preventing him to leave, he did not want this moment to end but it would, by the time they would wake up he knew that he would have to face the reality of his actions.


	17. Doubt

**A/N: And here you go next chapter,**

**Here we go uneventful chapter**

**~Marcela Narcissa**

**

* * *

**

**Brandenburg**

_By the time they would wake up ..._

Eustace opened his eyes, next to him in his arms was the still form of Mary Eleanor Wittelsbach laying next to him, her head resting on his neck, her hair the only distinguishable feature between her and her mother, falling gracefully on her back leaving her neckline free for his hand to roam on.

She stirred feeling his hand going all the way up her neck to her lips.

A smile formed her lips, she did not want to open her eyes, she wanted to feel his hand on her neck, on her lips. She had never felt liek this before, what he'd done to her it made her wish she could stay like this, still and close to him.

"Wake up" a voice said, she did not know what this voice was but she found herself submitting to its commands, when she opened her blue gray eyes there he was, the bluest eyes staring back at her.

She smiled expecting a smile back, but instead she got a confused look as his eye brows knitted and his open mouth forming a large circle, he withdrew himself from her and turn to look at the opposite where they were staring at each other. Why all of a sudden his back was turned to her? She wondered.

She did not say anything, she did not have to, understandment dawned on her -he felt shameful, he of no noble descent had touched flesh that was supposed to be sacred, she was the King and Queen's oldest daughter, and through her veins run the noblest blood of all Christendom -her mother always said. To touch a Princess, especially one who was so beneath her, is a cardinal sin. But wasn't her actions also what contributed to this cardinal sin? Didn't she lead him to commit this crime? She had never said no to him, she never rejected him or tossed him aside as she knew other Royals would have more discretely done.

Mary, if she could go back in time she probably would have if she had possessed better common sense then she did last night. But last night she was sure it had not been a dream, he was rude, he was crude but in bed he had been soft and he had respected with her, he had never forced himself on her, and she understood how it must feel for him to feel this guilty for having touch flesh as sacred as hers, but she would tell him that there was nothing to regret. This was her first time, an experience she would never forget, and he should feel grateful for he had made her first time an experience to remember by. A husband, she smirked, why have a husband when she could have the warm body of a lover like his next to her.

She sat up and her hands went to his back, forcefully making him roll to meet his eyes.

His eyes still held disappointment, she laughed inwardly, now who was being the naive one. Had he not enjoyed it, she still remembered his soft touches, his hands around her body, and the feeling of his manhood entering her. She wanted him to confess from his own lips that he had enjoyed every moment of it as she did.

"Your Grace"she said, her hand roaming across his chest, it was as soft as she remembered. The lower half of his body was coverd by the bedsheets, for a man who had been less discreet than her it was ironic he covered himself, and that she a woman whom before yesterday had been a virgin, took the covers away from her body leaving her fully exposed.

* * *

Chapuys did not let her speak. She had the plague of illusion in her eyes, he should have never done this, why had he kissed her in the first place, why couldn't he just let her deal with her missery alone?

She was not only the daughter of his enemy the King of Germany, instrumental in his plan for revenge, she was also the spitting image of the woman he had once sworn to defende and love for a promise made to her mother, the -then- Lady Mary.

This was all wrong, he had lied with not only the fucking Princess of Brandenburg, but in his lust to be near someone who reminded him of everyone he had lost, he had ended up handing the keys to his soul to this ... this woman.

She was a woman, not a silly fool, a girl or like the other whores he had slept with, but a woman, innocent and naive, he had taken that innocent yesterday when his lips laid on top of hers, when he had pushed her tongue inside him, a battle of the tongues ensuing afterwards stopped momentarily by the building of their arousal as their hands went to inspect each others bodies preparing themselves to consumate the union, a union that should never have been. He had put his plans of revenge on hold for a woman, and a woman who was the daughter of his former beloved no less!

Yet, he could not help but see certain differences in her face, small but if one looked closely they were there. The way her eyes would sparkle, they were not opaque, they were not dry or weary, but they were full of life, sympathetic and understanding unlike his former Princess, and her hair so unlike her mother was not the fiery red brown color of the Tudor House that all women had inherited, but itwas deep black, black as the night sky that had been their only companion the night before when they lain together. Damn, he cursed himself inwardly for the stupidity of his actions, laying with her, his enemy no less!

What was he going to do now? He had made this girl his, and being her first time, she would surely think this to be the most especial night of her life, she might even believe and he hoped it was not the case but as he looked into her eyes, sparkling with desire, that he was in love with her, and that he had felt some sort of special conection with her.

Did he?

No Eustace, he told himself, you did not.

Yet the hand on his chest, her smile and her eyes sparkling with delight as he looked at her curiously, made him doubt his own judgment.

Why? Why? Why? he continued to ask himself getting him nowhere, he sat up as well, the bed sheets still covering his lower half of his body.

"Princess" he said his voice gruff as she moved closer to him, he could see her eyes sparkle as the sun light hit her face.

"Princess he said once more taking her hand of his chest. "We need to talk

* * *

**A/N: Evil cliffhanger!**


	18. Boulevard of broken dreams

**A/N: And here you go next chapter,**

**Same old, same old thing, Chapuys and Mary talk blah blah**

**~Marcela Narcissa**

**

* * *

**

**Brandenburg**

_"Princess" He said once more taking her hand off his chest "We need to talk"_

Mary's eyes narrowed. We need to talk, what did he mean by that?

"What do you want to talk about?" She finally said hoping this would be something good.

However Eustace seeing the sparkle in her eyes, he became more convinced that this was a mistake, he should not only never have touched the Princess, he should have never make her believe that this night meant something for them, or for him. He bore no sympathy, yet he could not, he felt, tell her the truth all at once.

What was it this woman was doing to him?

He sighed and finally he told her everything, everything -that is- she needed to hear to get it off her mind that he loved her, or by any stretch of her imagination that what they shared was especial. She wasn't making it easy though as her hand reached accross his face tracing her fingers to his lips, pushing one inside his mouth. If her mother could see her now, what would she say? Did she care what that old hag had to say? She had controlled her life since she had use of reason, finally she was with someone she picked, and having the time of her life. Her mother wasn't here -she told herself- she could do as she pleased.

Why not enjoy life for once?

He took her hand off his lips before he could not stop himself from the arousal she was causing in him.

"What?" Asked Mary feeling taken aback by his actions. Had she done something wrong? Her looks said, Chapuys smirked at her poor understanding of the opposite sex. She was one of those that thought love was something especial, that the act of love should be done and motivated by love alone.

He smirked at her innocence, how naive she was. He had fallen for an idiot he thought cynically his blue eyes baring disbelief as they began trapped once more in her dark gray orbs.

"Eustace?" She called this time more uncertain, slightly afraid of what that look on his eyes meant.

"Y-You" she began to stutter incontrollably "l-ll=love m-m-m-m-me r-r-r-right?" Her face contorded in pain as he shook his head.

No, she screamed inwardly unaware that she actually did it in front of him.

"No!"

"Milady please ..." He tried once more when she saw her getting abruptly from the bed and taking from one of her many closets a nightgown covering herself at last.

"You ... you, I taught you ..." She struggled to speak, she imagined that he had said I love you last night, she remembered the way he said it, the way he traced his fingers accross her lips and said her name over and over again. She could feel him still, his hands roaming accross her body, making her feel warm, wanted and ... loved.

And here she was, she had been the fool. She had been made the fool! How could she let this happen.

She sunk to her knees, her hands covered her face, covering the shame that they bore.

Eustace sighed and got up putting on his pants and the rest of his clothing. Just what in the world he was doing, he did not know but whatever he was doing, he decided he could not leave the Princess a crying mess, the servants would notice and being the naive woman she was, just like any other woman who has lost her virginity over an act of what she thinks is love, she could tell Gertrude and he had seen the way that maid move, that Frau possessed the brain the size of a fly, she would let it slip past her lips and then all hell would break loose, besides if they were discovered it would not only be hell for him but his plans, everything he had planned carefully for more than twenty years would crumble because of the infatuation of a stupid little girl like her.

He did not know why, but it did not matter, he knelt besides her and taking her in his arms, he began to whisper in her ear as he pulled a strand from her dark hair, "My Princess ..." he had to make himself soft for her, he had to let her mantain the illusion that a certain part of him that did not really existed anymore, cared for her and he did not want to see her hurt. He had to lie, something that should not be a problem yet he felt guilty, a feeling he never thought he would experience after everything he had been through since his time in the Tower of London, for lying to her. "...nothing more I would give to take it all back, but Princess even you must see if your mother were to know ..."

He stopped, the reaction he had wanted all along since she had dropped on her knees was plastered on her eyes as comprehension dawned on to Mary. Indeed, if her mother the so called "Regent" and "Magnanimous Mary" were to find out about what her daughter, her carbon copy did, it would destroy them both, it would destroy her. Not only would her charity work, all her efforts to free the slaves and keep the identities of all the people she protected in her father's government hidden, be taken away and her ideals destroyed, but also knowing her "moralist" mother she would force Mary to tell the whole world what she had done, and perhaps she would be forced for at least a year into a nunnery or worse under the strict instruction of her second most trusted Lady In Waiting, Countess Jane Von Tassel formerly until a year ago when she married, known as Jane Dormer. She would force to live in a strict Protestant house, with no liberties, watched day and night under her mother's spies' watchful eyes.

She could not allow the eyes of her mother to ruin her life, to intrude in her life again.

"But ..." Then she thought a dangerous thought crossing her mind "what about then what you said last night?" she asked, she needed to know if he meant thoses words, "did you really mean it?"

He knitted his eyebrows in confusion. Just what was the Princess talking about thsi time? Then it dawned on to him, the words he had said while he moaned her moan, the words I love you, he thought they were only part of a dream, an illusion he had lived while he slept, but alas his bad luck was against him. Now it would be harder for him to convince the Princess that he did not love her, and that it was best that they put this night behind them.

"Did you mean it?" She kept pressing her eyes looking at him expectantly.

He passed a hand through her soft black hair, it was as soft as the chest his lips had kissed last night.

"We should forget this" He said finally standing up and leaving her more confused and hurt than ever as she watched him depart.


	19. The way your heart brakes

****

_****_

_****_

_****_

_****_

_****_

**A/N: And here you go next chapter,**

**And another chapter,**

**review!**

**~Marcela Narcissa**

**and I would recommend hearing this song while you read this chapter otherwise the effect of the chapter is lost.**

_**

* * *

**_

_**"I love the way that your heart breaks  
with every injustice and deadly fate  
Praying it all be new  
and living like it all depends on you**_

Here you are down on your knees again  
trying to find air to breathe again  
And only surrender will help you now  
I love you please see and believe again

I love that youre never satisfied  
with face value wisdom and happy lies  
you take what they say and go back and cry  
youre so close to me that you nearly died

Here you are down on your knees again  
trying to find air to breathe again  
And only surrender will help you now  
I love you please see and believe again

they dont have to understand you  
be strong  
wait and know I understand you  
be strong  
be strong

Here you are down on your knees again  
trying to find air to breathe again  
Only surrender will help you now  
The floodgates are breaking  
they're pouring out

Here you are down on your knees  
trying to find air to breathe  
right where I want you to be again  
i love you please see and believe again

Here you are down on your knees again  
trying to find air to breathe again  
Right where I want you to be again  
See and believe!"

**~Flyleaf -Again.**

She was screaming, waking up her entire household. Her ladies were quick to rush to her aid, especially Gertrude giving her comfort.

Oh let her scream, let her regret, let her curse him. He was not here to fraternize, as far as he knew Princess Mary Eleanor was a Wittelsbach, and another woman no different than other, she was not the real prize he was after, the real price was to see all his enemies fall, one by one having to see everything that they love, everything that they cherished, their loved ones, their Kingdom, their other worldly possessions taken away from them. He was a tad saddened by the fact that he was not going to be there to see all of their faces when they would realize the end had come.

At this rate he knew the first one to fall would be the child that had been the start of all her problems, that miserable brat whom he still considered a product of the worst mistake the King of England had made when he married her mother, Anne Boleyn, putaine he thought in French.

Whore, bitch, tramp, she had set the machinations for his fall before his plans and Brereton could succeed. Brereton, he thought. If that idiot had not failed he would have the whore dead by now, none of this would have happened, he would never have slept with the Princess, the Princess would not exist, he would be back at Hatfield to rest his hands on top of his real Princess Mary TUDOR's soft hands.

She had been an Angel, a true angel, yet an angel whose wings had been clipped on an act of self death when she had forsaken her soul, her values when she had gone also against his memory, against his uncle, her church and even her father to marry the Duke of Bavaria. It was no secret why then her daughter felt such attachment to him, like mother like daughter to be won over an easy infatuation. It was clear the girl only felt an infatuation by him because she had been easily ignored by her family, the way her brother treated her had caused him to be angry, and he said to him he would definitely would enjoy more when he would see the boy's downfall.

But that by no means meant that he had to use the Princess' apparent love for him now to use her as a spy. She was an incompetent fool, no different than the Devil's creature, if there was a devil his mind added, to which he replied, there was a devil and he worked through women, his easiest tool to uses. Yet women, he could find it easier if used someone else, someone less impulsive and emotional that he could use to be his eyes and ears in the Wittelsbach main Households he would, but it seemed like all the german ladies were as silly and brain dead like the English ones.

Then there was the possibility resurging in his brain, deep within his logic told him why not use the Princess? She could be a potential tool, she could be his eyes and ears, and besides if he managed to seduce her and convince her of his love for her, she would leave all her dreams and hopes for the future of the human race, she would not have to care anymore for the welfare of others, his business would not have to report such losses and she would be back into her father's favor which that would benefit him, for as long as she was in her father's favor that meant he would see more of the King and his other heirs, he would be able to have a better look inside the vast castles that adorned the two largest cities of Germany. He would be able to see whom to buy and whom to use at their expense, and when their use run its course he would dispose of them, easy as that.

But then, her face, the way she had looked at her expectantly.

Did you love her? The back of his head asked coyly, he didn't respond, he didn't have to as he sat in his bed, a strange lump forming inside his chest making it impossible for him to breath, it made him fall backwards and loose consciousness as he kept hearing the Princess cries, screaming his name.

* * *

Mary was comforted by Gertrude, she told Gertrude everything and she yelled to her how foul his trick had been, how she had just given herself body and soul to a man who clearly did not care for her at all. She felt so used, so dirty, like a whore she had been used! She screamed.

"Shh Mary ... it is alright now ... it is alright" then passing a hand through her soft black hair she began to sing. She had retired all the maids from her Mistress and best friend's bedchamber, on pain of death Mary had made them swear that they would keep their silence, however, Gertrude was afraid that some of these ladies were not of her Mistress or of the King's but of the Queen's, and if they were to let it slip from their lips that their Princess had slept with a man who could very well be her father, a man who had been entrusted with her safety and had instead taken the Princess most prized possession, deflowering her and leaving her a nervous wreck, then her poor lady and friend, she would never be able to enjoy the relative, though small, freedom she enjoyed here in Brandenburg. Her mother would take away everything, and she would force her to live an unhappy life with an unhappy Mistress.

Gertrude continued to sing the German lullaby to her Mistress. Mary never liked Latin, she hated Latin for her it was a dead language, if they the gospel of John, and the rest of the Holy books in German thanks to Martin Luther, why was it that she had to learn it? She always questioned her mother, but her mother, she only made her learn that tongue because she said all Princesses knew and her father not one to contradict her mother, being a man of very weak character before her, had pressed her to learn Latin and other dead languages as well.

The only thing she had shared in education with her mother was their love of music, Mary loved music as her mother a former Princess of England who had enjoyed the greatest education in Christendom, loved music and singing. Mary could sing for hours so like her mother.

She loved to sing of old folklore tales in German, she loved her language, and she loved her culture, and now that Gertrude was reminding her of the thing she still held dear to her heart, her love for her country, she fell asleep while still crying in Gertrude's shoulder.

* * *

**Bavaria**

**Wittelsbach Court Palace**

A profitable state Bavaria was. Mary sighed looking into her own vanity. How many years now since she had bore her sons, since she had bore her carbon copy and rebellious daughter Mary Eleanor? How many years indeed, the back of her voice taunted, smiling and laughing as Mary noticed the tired bags that had been present for the last ten years under her eyes.

She was getting old and yet Philip still called her the most beautiful and happiest lady in Christedom, if not the whole world he would always add. Philip, she thought, that man he loved everyone, and he loved her and saw her as she was a goddess, it was suffocating the way he spoke of her, the way he held her in his arms.

She loved Philip with all her heart, but sometimes he was just too caring, she was a woman who had been raised to bear more than love and childre, with her it was always duty first, love later. It would be so easy now, she thought to compare herself with her mother, thinking of her mother suddenly a thought she had not had in ages popped in her mind, it was the thought of that man she had not mentioned in over fifteen years. Eustace Chapuys.

He had always been there for her, like a father figure ... if not more, she told herself quietly.

Her husband was not here, he was off in some campaing abroad to secure good marriage arrangements. It was not odd that her husband did this often, he was a good leader as he was a good warrior and the only reason why he was also a good negotiator was because he had the best councilors and he always listened to Mary. In his absence she found greater freedom, having control over the whole region, over his territories that were officially his. They would be passed down to her hanfs, she would have the reins of the German horse, commanding and doing whatever she wanted with no one to question her orders. There were a few who did not agree on the level of power Mary was holding over the Country, but she always silenced those voices.

That was what her father did and no one protested, but that was because that was England and this was Germany over here you don't have mindless drones like the English.

She looked deeper paying more attention to her reflection. Philip was right she did not look that old, there were no old lines under her chin, or in her forehead, her neck was wrinkly and there were almost no imperfections visible in her skin, but if one would look closely they would see her hair's bright red brown color starting to fade away becoming a dirty brown. Her dark gray orbs were also becoming darker.

She wondered if this was the fate of all men and women? Their worst curse by God, to watch their lives flow away, for there was only one thing that men could not take back, and no it was not honor -for that could be bought or made up for with especial favors from both faiths -no it could not be religion, or faith, morality or virtue -it was time. You can never turn back time, time she realized like her father told her before he died, was a human's worst enemy especially for a royal who would die and would leave everything for an unprepared ruler like it was her son. Philip Jr. He was a proud looking, tall and very muscular boy, very handsome she was proud of all the handsome traits she got from both his parents, but she was worried that he was still to naive when it came to politics, perhaps she had spoiled him too much.

No, he had done fine it was her daughter she should be worried about again. One week and no news from her, what was Mary Eleanor up to now? And where was that good lady in waiting of hers when she needed her? If she did not get a letter by tomorrow then she would travel to Brandenburg and if necessary she would expose that little thing, her spy to Mary Eleanor and to her daughter of course she would see personally that she returned to Bavaria and start learning lessons in goverment. Mary was tired of hearing her young namesake ruining her father's business and their name with useless charity work. Mary Tudor did charity work, and she preached it was God's will to be good to one another, it was the law of life to help another so we could all prosper, but that law she had especified could only be applied to others human peers, slaves -Mary thought incredulously- were not like them, it was God's will they have slaves. Surely Mary Eleanor would see that once she would start schooling her daughter again.

It was time Mary Eleanor gets her head from the clouds and sets her feet on the ground, she had been schooling her children, taking care of them, bathing them so she could one day see them as Kings and Queens creating for their father's Kingdom strong ties with other Christian nations. Since Mary Eleanor was born, her mother made great plans for her, she was the daughter she was most proud of, more than Amelia for Mary not only looked like the former English Princess now German Consort, but she also bore her spirit and often she even reminded her of her mother, the pious and virtuous Katherine of Aragon. How proud would her mother be to see her granddaughter Queen of England, a real Queen uniting England and Germany.

Mary Eleanor would oppose it, the Queen supposed knowing full well of her daughter's temper, but she would get over it, just like she had gotten over it when her mother died, when Eustace had ran away and been presumed dead -all the time she had missed his presence but eventually she got over it, now it was her daughter's turn to get over her silly dreams and embrace her destiny.

For when destiny calls we must always face it with our head raised high mastering all fears and driving all doubts away.

"Susan" She yelled to her Chief Lady In Waiting and long time friend Susan Clarenciux. After all these years Susan had not changed much, her son and daughter had made good marriages here, and Mary had set them for life.

"What is it Mary?" In private they were on a first name basis, publicly they would address each other according to status.

Mary smiled, she could always rely on Susan. "Get me parchment and ink I need to write to my daughter at once, I cannot wait any longer, even if it takes me days I need to see that girl now and take her head from the bubble she is always in"

Susan smirked, typical it was always the two Marys who were always in conflict. "Of course Mary" She said going to order the servants to bring what Mary had requested, they quickly did and she came back with ink and a fresh piece of parchment she set on Mary's desk.

Mary began to write, she would give her daughter at least two weeks to have her household presentable. Two weeks, because she didn't want to give her daughter another reason to be the ogre of this dark fairy tale and she the victim, like she always loved to play. Two weeks, she emphasized for third time in the letter to have everything presentable, to give the men and women she had set free, slaves who had come from the Kingdom of Ghana, into her custody, otherwise her daughter would see everything be taken from her, and this time she would not cry to her father, for Mary would write another letter to Philip telling him it was time to be stricted with their oldest daughter.

She finished the letter at last and handed it to Susan giving strict instructions that it was not to be delivered until two weeks from now.

"I am couting on you SUSAN."

"Don't worry Mary I will see that the Princess has enough time, I am sure she will make you proud this time"

Mary rolled her eyes, Susan always defended little Mary.


	20. Agents of fate

**A/N:Nothing to say got some of my inspiration hope this is to your liking.**

**REVIEW!**

**~Marcela Narcissa**

* * *

**_"_**_We all imagine ourselves agents of our destiny. Capable of determining our own fate, but do we have any choice in when we rise or when we fall? Or does a force larger than ourselves bid us our direction? Is it evolution that takes us by the hand? Does science point our way or is it God, who intervenes, keeping us safe?"_

**_~Mohinder (Ep.1.02) Heroes (2006)_**

* * *

Chapuys woke from his unconscious state. He did not how long it had been since he had been asleep but judging by the stars and the moon outside his bedroom, he had slept all day, he knew if Fleming came through that door any moment he would not hear the end of it.

Fleming, he mused. That insuferable man he thinks himself highly above everyone, of course -I tell myself- he is an English though not really an English man by blood. He is from Flanders, a stranger serving the Empire like I once was, a man who is loyal and devout to his faith, however with the difference that Fleming was even more pragmatic than I was. However he had a flaw that Fleming, he was too emotional he felt pity and empathy for all the weaker forms of life, especially the English, I could never understand why was that.

Eustace rubbed his temple with both his hands, get out of ther -he begged with his mind trying to block the memory of what happened last night, her kiss, her warm touch and waking up to find her smiling at him and saying 'I love you', he tried to make it all disappear but he failed misserably.

* * *

Gertrude and the others were gone now. Gertrude had stayed with her Mistress for the entire day until night came and Mary understood even her best friend and loyal servant had to sleep.

She succumbed in a momentary sleep, but she found herself opening her eyes and staring at the moon outside her window.

What had she become? Common as any whore, she could hear her mother's voice in the back of her head.

If her father were to find out he would smack her. Her father had never smack any of his children, but he was getting tired and angry with her, he had scolded her when they had been at England at how much of a child she was, to which she had replied that she was a child and why -she had further argued- she was the one who was alway to blame for Philip and back then, when he was just Prince of Wales, Hal's mischief?

If there had been no Philip, no Anne Boleyn and no Hal Tudor she would not have been the center of which her mother could take her anger on, and her father his frustration.

Her grandfather of course was not better, but she did remember one time on her birthday, coincidently falling on January 7th, the exact date her grandmother Katherine of Aragon had died. She had been received by her grandfather who had summoned Mary Eleanor to his private chambers, there he had a surprise for her, a small box he said that used to belong to her grandmother. He had called her Catalina when she cordially thanked him, she had asked him why the sudden change of hearth, boldly. Her grandfather amused by her boldness said that she was now the only thing that could remind of the woman he first fell in love with.

It did not change anything in their relationship, the next day he got to be the same with her, cold and uncaring.

But the box she would always keep it with her. Inside had been everything her grandmother had left to her mother, her furrs, her cross, and her letters, everything that her mother always complained Cromwell had taken away.

Mary held those things close to her heart, one of them had been a small locket that she always hung around her neck, in the heat of the night that she had spent with Eustace Rolf she had not noticed that she had dropped her locket, luckily Gertrude had found it for her, and now Mary had it back with her. She would never, ever take it away. It was the locket that gave her strength, it was the only thing good memory she had of England and of the grandmother that she never met.

She closed her eyes trying to fall asleep but with little success.

* * *

Chapuys noticed that the sun was rising, he had stayed asleep the entire day and could not sleep during the night. He decided he had to do something instead of staring off into space.

He got from his bed and went to for a quick stroll in the hallways, to his misfortune he found the Princess coming from her bedroom in the smae direction he was going.

She stared at him and he stared at her for what appeared to be a lifetime. None of them spoke until she decided it was enough.

"Your Grace" She began, they exchange formalities and she invited him for a seat downstairs in her living room, he accepted her invitation.

Once they were seated in different sofas facing each other she said "My mother Your Grace is a very strict woman, she believes virtue is a woman's most prized possession. Since I was born I was born and raised to be a Princess. I was taught my most prized possession is what made me especial and I wish to keep it that way for when a time comes for me to be given into a marriage. Do you understand what I am getting at Your Grace?"

He nodded, "I understand Your Highness"

She smiled softly, "Good, then let us forget and go back to our daily lives, now if you will excuse I will bid you good night for it is only one hour before sunrise maybe less" She finished.

He bowed his head to her and followed her upstairs where they returned to their separate rooms.

This was how it was going to be then, thought Chapuys, she would not remember me, and I would not remember her. It sounded reasonable, it was the only good thing I had heard coming from her lips so far.

~o~

Fleming knew that this was all a big mistake, his master was pushing this to the limits, that Princess had touched the heart of a cold bastard, and now the former Ambassador had found himself in an alley with no way out. It was the only reason to explain why in the next week he had barely seen the Princess and when Fleming would mention her name, his Master would perk up to meet his gaze and he would quickly change the subject.

He knew his master like the palm of his hand, Eustace had fallen for her, difficult as it may be for the weak minds to believe it, it had actually happened.

Eustace was locked up in his chamber after Fleming had mentioned the Princess for a second time this week, this time he had the courage to say that it was by no accident, that he wanted to hear it from his lips that deep down he felt something for her -not because she was innocent or they completed each other -that was for the poets and the fairy tale lovers- because deep down her appearance reminded him of everything he had lost, what he could have had, the former Lady Mary Tudor.

Eustace had been very angry at his butler, he had told him to get out and make sure nobody bothered him, Fleming of course complied knowing full well how dangerous Eustace Chapuys could be when he was provoked.

He was not the screaming type, but he was very cold and blunt to Fleming, his eyes had been burning with annoyance when he mentioned the Princess, and not just her, but the events that had transpired in her bedchamber. How Fleming knew that? It was easy, you didn't have to have a highly evolved instinct to see past Eustace's lies, when you get to spend a lot of time under the man's service you no longer have to ask or sneak behind his back to find out the truth.

Fleming rolled his eyes. He and the Princess had more in common than they thought, both were stubborn, the Princess also refused to see Eustace, and she had said many cruel jokes behind his back, none of which even her more naive of her ladies had found funny, of those including her chief in lady in waiting Frau Gertrude.

* * *

Mary was walking with all of her ladies outside when saw Eustace Rolf on their way back to her castle, standing next to the fountain looking at her with deep interest.

"Gertrude" Mary said, "Take all the other ladies, leave us"

"Milady?" Gertrude asked unsure if she had been hearing her friend say it right? Was she expecting them to leave her alone with THIS man?

No.

This would be an order she would not follow.

Mary looked sharply at Gertrude. "No Milady" Gertrude said.

"I said leave us Gertrude" She said more forcefully surprising everyone, including Eustace Rolf who was reminded of Katherine of Aragon. She would speak to her ladies in the same manner when they would hessitate to follow her orders, seldmo would they rebel but there were times he had seen it, especially with the whore, Mistress Boleyn.

"Very well milady" Gertrude said bowing to her lady.

Her ladies followed Gertrude to the castle and closed the back door. Now it was only she and Eustace Rolf.

"What are you doing here?" She asked sharply with her eyes bearing directly into his, her dark gray against his lighter blue.

"Is that anyway for a Princess to answer milady?" He inquired perching one eyebrow up.

"I thought we agreed things would go back to normal"

"We did'"

"Then what are you doing ..."

She was interrupted as he began walking in her direction his hand raised to silence her.

"It just so happens that I cannot fathom why would a Princess who has everything to live, every man she wants she could have, why would she chose to give up herself body and soul to a man below her, and then I began to see she is the woman who hides behind her smile the woman whose destiny she does not believe in"

"You are speaking nonsense" She said.

"Am I Princess? Or do your insults behind your back" she attempted to hide her shock but he saw it manifest as she raised her eyebrows in surprise -"say something else? When I first met you all I could see was arrogance you were no different than any other Royal woman who thinks herself so especial, but in this few months that I have been forced to spend with you and vice verse I have seen more of your true self."

"And what is my true self, supposing there is one?"

He snickered. "You try to make others happy, you fight for what you are doing, for your principles and that is admirable but also very stupid, you have a lot of enemies at your father's Court, all people who will want to see you fail, among them your brother and even your mother"

"And why do you care?"

He did not answer but instead came closer and leaning foreward he placed his lips on hers. It was the end of all control, she always imagined her destiny would be different, that she was agent of her destiny. Her fate had already been decided when she had been born, her grandfather had said when he gave her grandmother's possession that were meant for her mother that she would be meant for great things, independent or not that they were good or evil, they would be great things.

Her mother when she became Queen Consort of German Reich said that she would be all that she could not be, a Princess and the highest honored lady besides her in all the nation. Amelia though only six at the time her mother had spoken of her greatness, said to her sister that she admired her because in her dreams she would always see her sitting on a throne with an orb in one hand and a crown on top. The crown of England and Bavaria joined together her sister would say. Amelia was still a child, she loved to idolize her big sister and naturally she would tell these things to her sister whenever she would see her fight with Philip. Her sister would comfort her telling Mary that she believed her sister to be the greatest if not the best person on Earth -very naive words and not to be taken seriously coming from a spoiled and hyper active child like her sister.

Philip had always spoiled her father's words. King Philip I, her father of Germany had said that one day she would be Queen either of France or England, when Elizabeth her aunt had become Queen of Spain, Philip began to make negotiations with the Queen Dowager and subsequently with the Ambassador Marillac of France for the possibility that she would be either England's Queen or France's. She was much too young to be the bride of Henri II, he was an old man compared to her, but then again she told herself, am I not being a hypocrite? When a man old enough to be my father is kissing me?

He pulled away from her. He would curse himself later for kissing her, but he had to feel the softness of her lips graze his rough ones, otherwise he would not have more days ahead of him filled with anguish and anxiety thinking of what could have been.

He looked at her, he wanted to see what her reaction would be.

Mary Eleanor did not need to say anything. She slowly brought her lips to Chapuys', she did not know what this man was, who he was. Whoever he was, wherever he came from, commoner or not, he was right, he challenged her and he made her feel for the first time wanted, not needy but wanted.

* * *

It did not take long for Eustace and Mary to come to his bedchamber. They did not kiss right away, they talked first, how they would hide this.

"Don't you think this is too fast? Imagine a Princess and the commoner my, my what would they say?" She said humourously.

He grinned, her sarcasm reminded him a lot of him and the former Lady Mary **_Tudor_**. Her mother should be proud for having a daughter so smart and observant like her. She was still naive and very much an arrogant Princess no different than all the others but that could be solved, she needed to learn, but for that she needed a good teacher and he had the perfect one in mind.

"Your Highness should not care for their opinions, the only person you have to control first is yourself"

She snorted in laughter, why did this man have to answer with more riddles? It didn't matter, she was here with her, and as long as her mother would not be here to keep tabs on her they could keep everything a secret.

Her life finally made sense to her, now she felt she wouldn't have to worry about her father, mother, brother, sister or her loving brother again. Destiny had suddenly been juxtaposed by his touch on her lips once more.

They became lost on each others' kiss, they did not notice Fleming behind the door hearing their muffling sounds, smiling to himself.

* * *

**_Same day .._**

**England**

**Hampton Court Palace**

**Hal** as he was known to the Queen Dowager and to his grandfather, the recently elevated Duke of Whilstshire and Earl of Ormonde looked through the marriage contract that Lord Cecil had practically forced on him. He didn't want to marry his first cousin, it was not that matter of consaguinity that bothered it was just her.

Mary Eleanor, his mother said, had too much of that Spanish woman, her former rival, Katherine of Aragon, and she did not want anything of that woman near her son in fear she could influence him. Hal mentally smirked, the voice in the back of his head was reminding him that he should always listen to his mother and his grandfather for they were wiser than he was and had great experience in international politics. He pushed that voice away. He did not care for what his mother had to say, for all he knew his mother was just a senile woman still living in the past, haunted by the ghosts of his father and his so called "first wife".

No, he would give this contract a better look. He could not agree on this yet, no matter what Cecil said. Cecil was a sly and cunning dog, very smart like his muscle Walsingham, on the latter he would charge him with an important task. Walsingham would be sent to Germany on his behalf and negotiate this contract with his half sister, the Queen Consort. It was common knowledge his sister was the real power behind the throne, her husband the King was merely a figurehead.

He gave the order to bring Walsingham to him immediately.

Walsinghman came moments later with his servants.

"Leave us" he said to all of them, they all bowed and left immediately. Henry IX was known to be more neurotic and prone to anger than his father, he had a lot of his mother and grandfather inside him, something that his servants were not sure if this was a good or bad thing, depending on his mood, they all supposed and who was the unlucky bastard who would subject of his wrath.

"Your Majesty-"

"Leave all the pleasentries aside Walsingham, I have something I want, you see this marriage contract"

Walsingham nodded, already possessing a clear idea of what the King was going to ask of him next.

"Walsingham I rely on Cecil because he is a capable man, but he is expendable like all the men at my Court, he can easily be replaced if I find someone better" The King paused. Walsingham was watching him closely how he hated Walsingham, yet it was his grandfather Thomas Boleyn who reminded Henry how useful he was, as he was not only a master of deception he was also the man responsible for bringing all of his enemies who still argued on his legitimacy down.

Reaching down to his drawer, he opened it and from it he pulled a letter. He streched his hand out to Walsingham who was still standing. Walsingham took the letter and then took a seat as the King finally offered him one.

"There have been rumors that the Princess' charitiful spirit has stirred rebellion from the Spanish and Portuguese Colonies. Our traders Walsingham have been complaining, and the recent rebellions in our colonies are making it even worse, we cannot use labor through the natives, they are too savage and impossible to control. I do not need then to explain to you the gravity of this whole situation if she is not stopped" He said ending his sentence in a sharp tone that demanded excellency, not try he was tired of hearing we will try, he wanted that girl to be stopped, it was no secre she was one of the main financers of the abolitionist. The very name made his stomach upside down. He was a man who had a Kingdom to run, if it was up to him he would never engage in the commercial trade of other human beings, but it so happened that he had a Country to take care of his first, it was other his people or theirs.

Walsingham knew of the King's humanist tendencies, but he was glad that the young King thought with his head first than with his heart, it would do England no good to have another idealist fool sit on the throne.

Henry IX knew how to employ his ideals for his Country, he put his Country first and then his heart second, it was something that made Walsingham deeply loyal to him.

"What is it you want me to Your Majesty?" Walsingham asked.

Henry placed his hands on his desk and he leaned forward in a low whisper he began to explain his plan to Walsingham, when he finished Walsingham asked: "And what if the Princess is found guilty?"

"Then the easier for us she would accept the proposal, also beware of the Queen Consort, I am not worried of the King, he can be easily manipulated is the Queen you must worry about old friend"

Walsingham agreed, the Queen Consort's control over Germany was well known, she was called the Regent by all her peers, in the absence of her husband it was not the council who reigned but her, however outside of Germany people had another title for her -The Shadow Queen -and Walsingham thought this fit good.

He bowed and bid His Majesty farewell preparing himself for tomorrow when he would depart to Germany.


	21. Turn back the clock

**A/N:Nothing to say got some of my inspiration hope this is to your liking.**

**I copied some of the song from VXLP and also if anyone here has good recommendations what song to use for this fic or can teach me how to make a trailer or make one for me I would appreciate it.**

**REVIEW!**

**~Marcela Narcissa**

* * *

**_"I am throwing rocks on your window_**

_**We are leaving this place together**_

_**They say we are dreaming too high**_

_**I say this town is too small**"_

**_Brand New Day by Ryan Star (thanks VXLP for recommending it)_**

* * *

Chapuys woke up to the soft lips he felt on his shoulder. Looking to the warm body nestling its head on the crook of his neck, was Mary Eleanor, his dark and light Princess Bella Eleanor.

She was wide awake, she had stayed awake when she felt the sunlight hit her face. Unable to sleep anymore, she had scanned his whole body, making sure she would memorize every line, every little imperfection that made him more perfect. Eustace Rolf, she was thinking to herself, what have you done to me?

He was not happy with the emotions he felt towards this woman. As a politician it was hard for him to recognize it, that he was falling in love for her, it was not attraction. He had felt attracted to the opposite sex before, always. But never had he felt in love, perhaps the only time he ever had -he told himself -was when he came close to being her mother's savior -but alas, that had been in another life.

He could not help but notice on how different she was from his other lady, a Princess of Germany, not of England. She was calmer, more idealist than her pragmatic and shrewd mother had been, but at the same time she was more educated and she was stronger, here was a lady who would never give up, who would never hasten to put up a fight like her grandmother had done with the late King of England, for what she believed was right.

In a world that desperately was in need for heroes, that yearned to believe in the old notions of good and evil, she was a good choice to fill in that role of messiah, he thought.

* * *

Mary opened her eyes to meet the rogue Duke Eustace Rolfe. She longed to know more about him. What was his childhood like? Why was it no one knew NOTHING about him?

Who was this man who had stolen her heart and filled her world with nothing but danger and mysticism, yearning for romance? she asked herself as she passionately placed her hungry lips on his dry ones.

Recently she had began asking these questions, they did not let her sleep at night as her thoughts would be focused on solving the mystery of Eustace Rolf. Somehow, she suspected, Eustace and Rolf were not his real names. It would not be the first time that Courtier from foreign lands, especially those close to France would try to cheat her father. It had happened before with Ambassedeur Marillac. She recalled how angry her father had been that a mere and simple noble from France had made him look like a fool in front of his whole Court -luckily for her father and them, her mother was there to solve the problem.

It was her mother who always got her father out of trouble, she was the diplomat while her father -brave and good soldier and skilled military leader as he was- was just a face that government needed to intimidate other countries -after all what good would it be to admit that their whole system depended on a woman, and a foreigner at that?

She reached for his cheek, at the touch of her fingers, he broke the kiss brusquely.

They were both out of breath. This was by far -they decided the greatest night of their lives, not only had they made love for the second time in a row, they had also heard themselves scream each others names louder than before, waking the entire household.

Mary marveled at his body. She knew he was more than forty, but even so for a man who would be considered by his age old, his body was not. Far from it. His body was muscular, nto as muscular as a soldier's but it was well defined and he had broad shoulders, then there was the touch of his hands. Against her soft and creamy skin, his was rougher and paler than hers, but it did not matter. Being so different from all the men she had known at Court, made him even more attractive. She felt like Dangerosa being kidnapped by the Duke of Aquitaine or one of the many Princesses that her mother would use to read to her before the dark times, when she became ambitious and hungry for power, no different than Anne Boleyn and her family that in Mary's opinion were all snakes.

Save a few, she hated the whole lot.

He traced his fingers as he placed his hands on her cheeks. She was so perfect. She was milk and honey, her hair was the most beautiful part of her after her dark gray orbs. She was like Selene the Greek moon goddess, no, what was he thinking? She was more than that, she was a nymph, his nymph, his muse and his inspiration. When he laid with her, there was fire that rose from within warming his body. He had not felt this for a long time.

Always remember, a voice spoke to him, as she whispered "I love you" -telling him how this was all pretend. He could not be in love with her, they just could not have that which poets described as purity of the soul, the only thing that was true in this world -all nonsense.

She was just another tool, another wench to use to further his plans for revenge, nothing more. Whatever she had done to him, would never overcome his desire for revenge against her family who was responsible for locking him up in the prison, leaving him to rot while he awaited his sentence, each day praying so he could be granted a quick and painless death, begging to God that he would release him from the hell this Princess' grandfather had put him in. His only hope during those dark days had been the girl's mother, her face was the only thing that kept him alive before and after he escaped to find the legendary fountain of youth. He had risked his life for her, so he could return to help her, but alas she had turned out to be the same as all the rest of the evil brood she descended from!

He had been dissapointed when he had found out about her betrayal, but never had he felt more betrayed and what a stab had that been when he felt that huge whole punched through his chest by his lady's declaration, that everyone whispered. She not only married Philip out of interest, she married him out of love, and she said that at last her sorrow had turned to happiness, and she had never been more grateful for being next to a man who was as loyal as Philip Wittelsbach.

She had denied him, she had forgotten him. All that he did to exalt her position, all his petitions to the Emperor, and that was how she repaid him? Stating that no truer friend and lover had she found in a husband like the German Royal, and that she had never known such loyalty in a man, every help she had received before, she'd said didn't matter.

She had completely forgotten her oath to her mother -to him!

"Something wrong?" all at once the fires of vengeances that roused in his soul at these thoughts, were blown away by the softness of her voice. He looked at her, getting lost in the beauty of her innocent soul. "No Princess, everything is alright. Sleep"

"What about breakfast, I am dying for some pork"

"We can wait tomorrow" he said neutrally, pulling her closer to him and tightening the hold of his arms around her. "There is no hurry, your cooks can wait"

"A whole day, isn't that too unfair for them?" She inquired with mocking outrage.

He burst into laughter, after it subsided he buried his head in the softness of her dark curls.

"Do you have to be the missionary?"

"You don't understand do you? I care for my people, and besides, would you love me if I was any different from what I am now?" She purred in his ear stirring the arousal he felt coming from his loins.

By God this woman had corrupted his spirit, she had ruined him from the perfect, and cold, calculative soul he was sworn to be to exact his revenge, and turned him into this weak, vulnerable creature, puppet of her passion.

"Don't deny it" Mary said huskily giving one kiss to his ear, she moaned as she felt his fingers on her hair going all the way down to her thigh.

"You like it?"

He did not need an answer, feeling her tongue in his ear and hands on his muscular chest was all the confirmation he needed to kno that he still pleased her.

Today marked a turning point in their relationship, suddenly she had felt elevated from physical lover to spiritual. From an enemy, foe to a loving and caring mate who promised him with the touch of her lips and her tongue rousing up the flame of passion in their loins, that she would never leave, she would never betray him. Never miss her promises of love, when she said later after they went to sleep for a second time today, that she loved him, he knew that she meant him.

He was overwhelemed by the whole situation. His vengeance was standing in between his love for her and his hatred for what her family had done to him all those years ago under the cold, and damp walls of his cell. Live and forget -he had had nearly twenty five years to forget all of what had been done to him. He would never forget it, and as much as the face of Mary Eleanor caused him to experience grief, it also caused him to experience hatred for her mother and for her devil's brood, especially as she nuzzleds her head in his chest, her brother who was nothing more than the spitting image of his next rival, the King of Germany and the man he hated the most now, her father -Philip I.

* * *

**Bavaria**

If there was one thing he missed about England was the unexpected weather. Like all of the English they had been born and raised in an unexpected climate where as you grew, nothing became too surprising anymore, it took the fun out of life. Walsingham hardly saw anything in Bavaria to be surprised, the Germans were too predictable, in fact they were too easy for him to read. He yearned for a challenge, like his fellow English men, he wanted something dangerous, something or someone that could be a worthy foe. So far he had met not one, whom he had grown afraid of, but that did not mean he would lower his guard. He had heard and seen enough of the Queen Consort of Germany to know she was a woman not to be reckoned with. He had seen her on few ocassions on Court before she left to be crowned in Bavaria, the capital of her husband's reign.

She was shrewd, and a great actress, the type of woman Walsinghma would respect.

The Germans showed great hospitality. Unlike his peers who complained of their language saying they sounded too angry or too rude when they spoke aloud, Walsingham found nothing of the sort when he was introduced to one of the Queen's ladies in waiting, her name -Alberta Junge- he memorized as all the others that greeted him when he entered the main residence of the Queen.

He was taken after Frau Alberta had been dismissed by the Lady Susan Clarenciusx, the Queen's chief lady in waiting, to the throne room where the Queen sat high in the chair that belonged to her husband. She was very bold, he observed. Her husband was not here, and yet the people in this Court regarded her as their only Monarch, by the bows she received from every German noble and Royal that came to pay their respects to their lovely Queen, it would seem that she was the one who was really running the Country.

"Sir Walsingham" she adressed her voice imperious and cold as the icy glare she gave him. After all these years, she had never let go of the past -too emotional -he thought. He would have expected better from her at this point, was this not the woman after all who had made the Courts of Germany prestigious and the envy of all Christendom?

"Your Majesty" he bowed showing the best display of affection after being "warmly" received by the Queen Consort and the rest of her Court. "I am a stranger in this strange land after all, though I should say that your stepmother's motto the most happy, suits Your Majesty even more. You bear the character that we only hear in the myths of the Illiad, milady has the strong pose that only a Goddess could bear" he jested.

She smirked. Her brother had been more shrewd than she gave him credit for. She thought she would bring his dog Cecil, but no now she knew it had to be this man. Cecil was too valuable and too smart for her brother to let him leave England, it was him after all who was responsible for the building of his Empire, and sustaining it. Walsingham though he seemed the muscle, she noticed as she made contact with his dark brown orbs, that there was more to this man than met the eye. She would have to be careful with this one, the Queen decided.

"You do me much honor with your words. I have heard many speak of me as nothing more than a cold and greedy person. But as you see here, all of my husband's subjects love their Queen as much as they love their King. Germans are very grateful for your praise." She said being very careful when she chose her words. She always made it clear that it was not her who was in charage of running the Country, only when her husband was absent she would answer the Royal petitions and take care of some important aspects of goverment. Many did not agree with this, they thought their Kingw was giving the Queen too much power. She was a woman after all, what did women knew? But Mary proved them wrong, in less than a year after she had become Queen, the people had loved her. She proved to be an efficient ruler and she had mantained the peace in her adoptive Country along with her husband -when he was around.

"Your Majesty" he said after he was done humoring her, "might we speak privately?" he asked boldly.

Mary nodded.

In her private study she beckoned him to seat right in front of her.

"Your Majesty" he began explaining the details of his Majesty's worries, about her daughter's increasing involvement with the slave trade. Mary nodded to all of his suggestions on how they should deal with this alarming situation. Both their Countries were loosing the money, and she knew for a fact that her husband was not all too pleased when he learned of their eldest daughter's involement. Philip had nearly had a nosebleed when he learned about this, he thought it would ruin the marriage contract between their daughter and Mary's half brother her daughter's uncle, the English King.

"What does the King say about this? I cannot control my daughter, I am only a woman, but if someone stronger were to -" she began trailing off as she made eye contact for the last time with Walsingham. Immediately he knew what her proposal was. She desperately wanted this marriage to go through. She was more ambitious than he thought. The Queen -he confirmed, was still an impetuous child who thought too much with her heart more than her head.

She had ambitions for her daughter, she wanted her daughter to inherit what she never could, to become the Queen of England. Even after all of the pope's refusal to take back her case and declare her parents' marriage valid, she still thought that the throne of England could be hers through her daughter and her heirs. But, he also saw, this was more than just her mother's vengeance, she wanted to control, or thought she could if her daughter were to marry the King of England, her native land. Was she that naive? Could she really think that she could make England a colony of Germany, of her husband's?

He smirked inwardly, this woman in years to come he was sure, would be proven wrong, and she would pay dearly, she and her whole lot for having thought that they could oust the smartest minds in England.

"The King, His Majesty our Lord Sovereign believes that the Princess can be shown the error of her ways. He has spoken actively on your daughter's good will, but he fears that she is being misled, if she were to see the kinder face of this whole misunderstanding, she would see that there is hardly any harm done in our trade"

"How so? My daughter is very stubborn, all the other Ambassadors have hardly managed to stand five minutes with her, let alone in a room with only her. What makes you think Sir Walsingham that you are any different?" she asked coyly, her icy glared deepening into his souless eyes.

His calculating stare did not change, and without knowing, he managed to breach trough her defenses and almost at once he could discover what was that she really feared, not for her daughter but for herself that threatened her hold on her husband's reign.

"If you would allow me only a few days with her, I hear that you were expecting to visit her" he mentioned in a casual tone.

Mary's expression kept the same. She should not be surprised that this man already had known of her plans to visit her daughter, this man was not called the greatest spy in all of England for anything. She certainly reminded him of an old friend.

He went on getting on to the next subject of the marriage contract, adding how the influence of the Duke of Savoy could be an important factor that could be contributing (the Queen had her spies, he had his and many of them, had told him alarming things the moment he had stepped into this Country, all rumors but he needed to know nonetheless if those rumors were INDEED true) to the Princess of Brandenburg's dislike for their business.

Mary arched an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side, hinting her dislike at what he was suggesting. Her daughter might be a naive fool and a dreamer, but one thing she was not, was a whore.

"How dare you come into my home and make those assumptions!"

"I only speak what the others have said. When the current grows strong is because the water it carries is to inmense, rumors like this could not be brought out of nothing. All rumors even if they are the more ridiculous we have heard carry some truth, and a strong reason I suspect why this is true is because your own nobles have began to speak it"

Mary shot up from her seat. She stared at him, shocked in silence for a moment.

"What do you mean by that? Answer me!" She shouted, menancingly her eyes baring deep hatred for this man.

How dare he do this, to her, speak like this when he was only a commoner. Did he not know who she was? She was the descendant of the two greatest Kings in Christendom! Nobody should speak like that, if anything she should crop his head right now for this insolence and send it to her brother in a silver platter, at last all those rumors that she was an cruel and cold bitch would be true!

"The rumors are too strong to ignore" he went on "and if I could see it, then both of us can work together to quiet them, and to eliminate the source of all evil, what is really causing your daughter to act this way."

The slap landed stingingly on his cheek and then he felt another one. But he did not complain. He had had fared worse luck when he had been in the presence of the people she hated the most in her birth Country, the Boleyns. Her behavior was nothing, for all means she was just practice, she was still a child, no great Queen he saw, for once she proved that some rumors were nothing but that rumors without current.

"You are truly sick! My daughter is not a whore! She would not fall for anyone, she knows nothing of love"

"I am not saying she knows love, but a girl her age, there are many men who easily take advantage of girls like her, girls that have a true heart, stainless of the world's evils. A man such as the Duke could use her -for what purposes it is impossible to know." He was winning now, the Queen's angry look shifted to concern as she pondered on his words. He went on "Allow me to see the Princess, I will do nothing to spoil her honor, but if there is someone who threatens our alliance, then he must be taken out like a fly"

Mary did not know how easily Walsingham had manipulated her when she said in a low voice yes, and gave him permission to see for his own eyes, what she believed were nothing but, the false rumors that the people in the Court who were against her were spreading. People would do anything to damage her reputation, Jane and Susan had said so. But could they too be lying for her sake? What if this was true, what if this man was all Walsingham and the rest said -an opportunist, a cynic, a pupeteer who was nothing than serving his own interests very much like ...

No! She thought in alarm, her eyes traveled to the window opposite her. Walsingham had left and the door of her study had been locked. As she ran to the window, she had grim sensation that history was repeating itself. Twenty four years ago it had been her who had stood near a window after she had been informed that Eustace Chapuys had escaped, later she had learned that his boat sank after someone burned it, near Spain or somewhere close to it. She had felt abandoned it, she felt that he no longer cared.

How she longed to have his strong arms around her waist, he was like a father, and soon after he died she realized he was something more. But now, after all these years that she had forgotten him, the memories of his "death" came back to her, as she realized the similitude of what had once happened to her was now happening to her daughter -Mary Eleanor. And how could it not? It all made sense, the pirate captain whom they had found in Chapuys' cell was famous, having sailed with Barbosa and all the pirate lords, and the only true Pirate Queen, a woman whose last name was Swan, daughter of a man who had been betrayed by her father and she seeking revenge had turned to piracy, and subsequently it was rumored she also became a criminal because she fell in love with a pirate who supposedly was the captain of a ghost ship. They were all rumors, but the treassure of the Florida, the Spanish colony was not. Many believed that it existed and that the pirate Captain had found it and buried it there somewhere after he had discovered a horrendous secret behind the waters that were said to make you young and eternal.

Could the criminal minutes before he had helped her old friend escape, told him about the whereabouts of such treassure?

Damn it! She cursed the heavens as she saw the sun set. All these years, she thought, that I had left the past behind, it resurfaces in the form of my newest rival -my daughter.

Just what are you planning Excellency?


	22. Innocence lost

**A/N: Thanks to those who have reviewed and followed this fic's progress. This chapter is packed with a lot of drama so brace yourselves!**

**REVIEW!**

**~Marcela Narcissa**

* * *

"We should get up" Mary said.

"We should" He said smiling "but I feel completely drained of my energies and so do you"

"That is because you were crushing me last night!" She said feigning anger, but she wasn't very good at this game of acting. She lacked the experience of the Duke and her mother.

"What?" Mary Eleanor asked not all too pleased that he was mocking her now with that goofy smile. "You are making fun of me!" She accused removing herself from his warm embrace.

"No, I would be too afraid of making fun of the great Brandenburg Princess" he said sarcastic, out of the few people who did not see his sarcasm as insults, was his Princess.

His Princess? He thought. Where had that come from?

"What are you thinking Eustace?" She asked slightly curious, tilting her head to his right.

"Why do you always move your head like that? Are you nervous to look at me?" He asked huskily moving his face closer.

"I do not think this is a good moment, we have been in bed for an entire day" She commented feeling his hot breath now that he was so closer, only less than an inch apart and she would have fallen prey to his lips.

"Mmm you are so beautiful" He said without thinking kissing her gently on her lips, before he withdrew and looked at her admiring her in all her splendor. God, he thought, what have I done to deserve her?

Could he go forth with his plans with revenge when he had a Goddess like her at his feet? No, I must. It was his duty, they must all pay for what they did to him. All those night in the tower wishing he would at least get one message from Fleming through Susan, her loyal lady in waiting, all those morning that he wished he would wake in heaven received by the Lord's right hand Gabriel, had made him what he was right now, hollow. He felt and saw nothing except the revenge that fueled him, it was the only thing that kept him going, that made his heart beat, that gave him a reason to live.

After he would dispose of all the people who hurt and betray him, he could welcome death, and perhaps just perhaps if he survived this then he could get to keep this Goddess by her side.

"Stop that"

"Stop what?"

"Your hand" Mary did not get to finish when she felt his hand dig deeper between her left right there in the spot she felt more vulnerable. She moaned inside his mouth as they engaged in a passionate kiss, calling out his name when he withdrew. "Don't stop now!" She protested pushing his hand deeper in her womanhood. Mary felt his fingers dig deeper and when it was only just one that remained he introduced it further and no longer able to hold she released all of herself on him. "Oh Eustace!" She squealed waking her entire household.

* * *

Gertrude shook her head. Mary was getting involved with the type of man her mother would disapprove the minute she saw him, and her mother was coming and every German citizen who loved the Princess of Brandenburg would disapprove as well if they found out of their beloved Princess' misbehavior.

She covered her ears with both her pillows in an attempt to stop the sounds of their lovemaking, but it was near impossible when it was Mary who screamed the loudest begging Eustace not to stop followed by his calling out her name as they reached their climax.

"Ugh" she groaned, when would this madness stop? Hadn't they heard of privacy, what ever happened with Mary giving a damn about the other people in her household? Some liked their sleeptime, and would be very pissed off in the morning with their Princess for not letting them sleep!

* * *

Mary Tudor, Regent for Germany in the absence of her husband, locked eyes with Susan. They were minutes away from reaching her daughter's household, she could see the castle from miles away, but she had to ask Susan something first before reaching the castle.

"Do you think often of Eustace Chapuys?" The question surprised Susan, of course she thought of him, and she was sure that Mary thought about him too, more now than ever after they found out the Duke of Savoy's true identity. Nobody could make himself that rich, stay that same age for so long unless he had found the fountain of youth, the mythical source of power for which the pirate Sparrow had been imprisoned by Mary's father.

"Do you really believe that he cares about us, about all the people he is trying to get revenge?" Mary continued questioning on Eustace's true motives with his friend Susan. If one person could give her good advise it was Susan, she was smart and she had lived through all of Mary's perils, she was the only person she trusted.

"Mary why are you so sure that it is revenge he wants? What if he wants to start anew?"

Mary laughed. She was surprised to hear such words from Susan.

"You know that his former Excellency does not do these things unless there is good reason"

Susan turned her gaze away from Mary's intrusive eyes. Her friend had taken a great deal of interest on investigating the Duke of Savoy ever since Philip began to do business with him, and rely on him entirely for their unnofficial business, and she was taking this too personally. Was she perhaps jealous that her daugher, her own flesh and bone, spitting image, had done what she never could, capture the former Ambassador's heart?

Mary could see what was going through Susan's mind and she kept a neutral face, responding to her doubts "I am not jealous if that is what you are thinking, but I feel that my daughter is more naive than I was at her age, she will get hurt Susan, girls her age fall in love with the first man who speaks smooth and have a strong build like Chapuys. You know this, we were eighteen once after all"

"Your daughter is wiser than you and me, and that is not a compliment Mary" Susan said finishing their conversation as they finally arrived to the Princess' castle, Mary being the first one to step out from the carriage, helped of course by her usher.

* * *

Mary Eleanor was panting as she felt him withdraw from her. The feeling of becoming one suddenly gone, she rolled on top of him, resting her head on his chest, completely drenched in sweat. "Don't leave in the morning" She managed to say closing her eyes as she kept her legs wrapped around his former infected leg.

Eustace smiled at the sight. Who knew that it would be Mary, but another Mary, and from the same Tudor blood whom would correspond his love and not be repulsed by him? Who knew indeed, a voice in his mind said as his hands traveled to her back, one raised to her hair to feel the soft dark wavy hair that fell to his side.

She was pure, so innocent and so naive. He felt a wave of guilt as she muttered in her sleep "I love you"

He closed his eyes, sighing. What was he supposed to do now? What would he tell her after he would ruin her entire family? What would stop her then from hating him?

She will never forgive me for that, he thought, lost in his thoughts he did not hear the carriage outside her castle pull to a stop and two figures and her ladies in waiting waiting for her daughter in her living room.

* * *

Mary asked the servants to wake her daughter up, the servants were all nervous upon seeing their Queen and all her retinue. They were all scared when she picked at random one of them, to tell her where her daughter was exactly and demanding an explanation why was it the house was not prepared for her visit?

"Your Majesty" the German servant began to stutter, his eyes looking down and breathing deeply as he was ready to deliver the news that would make the Queen unleash her rage at the first person she saw.

"Majesty what? Tell me where is my daughter -and where is the Duke of Savoy" She ordered.

It was not up for discussion, the servant inhaled and after he exhaled he looked at his sovereign and blinking twice, preparing himself for her rage he said -"She is upstairs"

"Still asleep?" She asked. And why was she not surprised at this? Mary Eleanor always forgot the most important things, it was like the girl did not have a care for protocol or anything else but herself. She lived in her own little world, and that bothered Mary because her daughter would never be the Queen of England she was meant to be, if she still continued to misbehave.

"No, Your Majesty she is not asleep ... she is with the Duke"

Mary's eyebrows rose and she screamed at the servant feeling complete outrage "They are together? Why did no one tell me about this? How dare she do this to me what is that girl thinking? I want you to go upstairs, I don't care if she without clothes or still fucking him, you bring her here, better yet I will go"

Mary wheeled around, the rest of her ladies walking at her command with her as she reached upstairs for her daughter's rooms. Susan was screaming at her, not to humiliate her daughter this way but Mary was past reasoning, she was not only disappointed at her daughter for having betrayed her sacred vows, and the contract she had worked so hard to achieve with her half brother so her daughter could become his spouse, and mother to his heirs, but also furious and deep down she felt also betrayed. Eustace had chosen her daughter of all people to sleep with ... and fall in love -a voice said. She denied this claim, Eustace was a sly and opportunistic fellow, once a long time ago he had been her friend, but nothing more and that time was obviously past. This Eustace did not want her friendship, and like the old one he wasn't doing this simply because he felt something for her daughter, he was using her as he had used so many people in the past.

This was his daughter, not other people, she argued with her mind, and she was not going to let him break her heart.

When she reached her chambers, she turned to her ladies and to Susan telling them to wait downstairs. Susan sighed in relief, she had finally listened to her. Mary did not say anything when Susan mouthed an inaudible thank you, she wanted her daughter to hear the truth, and it was not out of fear that she would humiliate her that she dismissed her ladies but because she did not want them to report back, in case Walsingham had bought some of them, to the English Crown.

She hesitated for a moent to open the doors of her daughter's chambers. Did she really want to know what they had done? Was she prepared to see such a horrific sight that would haunt her for the rest of her life?

I must.

She twisted the door knob and entered.

Her suspicions proved correct. She gritted her teeth, and cleared her throat stealing their attention. Her daughter had been asleep, but hearing her mother she woke up and Eustace who had already been awake looked up at the former Princess, the woman he had given to himself completely, in spirit but unlike the Mary she now held hands with, this woman in front of him he realized he had lost forever when he had been charged and convicted.

"Excellency" She said coldly awknowledging him by his former title.

"Lady Mary" He returned.

Mary Eleanor looked from her mother to her lover. She did not understand, why was her mother referring to him with the title of an Ambassador?

Her thoughts were interrupted once again by her mother's booming voice as she walked to her daughter's side.

"Mary Eleanor Wittelsbach just what did you do?" She demanded surprising everyone, including Eustace as she grabbed her arm and pulled her naked form out of bed.

"Mother please!"

"Is this what I taught you? Where is your self respect? You are a Princess whose flesh is sacred, you should know that by now! Look at yourself, look at what you did!" She hissed seeing her daughter was about to cry.

"You were meant to be Queen of England, but now for this who would want you as their wife, as their Queen!"

Eustace rolled his eyes, Mary Tudor now Wittelsbach had changed and her behavior and humors reminded him a lot of her father, this would be something he would have done.

"And what? I do not care if I am to be Queen! I want to be free to make my own destiny, forge my own path" Mary Eleanor screamed at her mother, feeling the tears now escaping from her eyes and runnign down her cheeks. She felt angry at her mother that she had arrived without notice, and that she was scolding her like she was still a little girl.

Too long she had let this woman and everyone else control her life and make decission for her, well no more, she wanted to see the world, perhaps travel with Eustace if they decided to marry and if the price to pay was her fortune and her titles then so be it!

Eustace who was hearing the conversation decided to speak up when he saw Mary's hand being raised against her own daughter, he stepped from bed, pulling the covers to the lower half of his body, he walked to where mother and daughter were and got in between them.

"Don't you dare touch her" He said in a steady, but menacing tone.

Mary stared at him for the longest period of time. How dare he spoke to her like this? Did he not know who she was? She was not the Princess or Lady Mary he encountered when she had been desolate, desperate and without friend at Hatfield, she was Queen Mary now, Sovereign and Regent in charge of ruling Germany in the abscence of her husband.

"I do not need to know the titles of my former Princess. I still see the same girl who I met not so long ago milady"

"And I see the same Ambassador who pretended to be my friend, and was nothing more than an opportunist!"

"Eustace what is she talking about? Mother what are you saying?" Mary Eleanor questioned to the people she loved the most, but receiving no reply.

"Why don't you tell her Eustace who you really are, what you stole!"

"Don't you dare"

"I will" Mary turned to her daughter and stole her from his side, pulling her next to her to shield from this man's scheemes.

"Mary-" he said calling her by her first name "Don't" he began his voice remaining neutral, but his eyes revealed the fear he felt and they pleaded to Mary not to destroy the only good and pure thing, yes pure, that he had found in this world that had still not been corrupted by the plotting and intrigue of Royal Europe.

Mary did not listen and she turned to her daughter once again. "Mary this man is not whom he says he is, his real name is Eustace Chapuys, I know that I told you about him once and how he died in 1536, that is a lie, he did not die he escaped from the tower, but we all preferred to rewrite history. For your grandfather it was shameful to awknowledge the man he most hated for trying to kill your uncle and betrothed, Henry IX, when he was sleeping in his mother's womb, could have escaped. The prisoner who died in his place was an infamous pirate who was rumored to hold the secrets to the treasure of Spada, and know the location of a fountain, a fountain that makes people youthful or at least makes them age slower"

Mary shook her head at her mother. Had she finally gone mad? This had to be some sick joke, she looked past her shoulder at Eustace looking for any sign that would prove just how crazy her mother's story was, but she found nothing but eyes of regret as he looked away.

"Eustace ... is this true?" She asked slowly.

Eustace saw no reason why to lie anymore. He would only hurt her more, and himself if he kept up with this facade. And besides, his dark voice said, wasn't that his purpose to lie and to use her? Why was it then, he asked back, that I feel weak and powerless as I tell her the truth of who I am?

"Mary I was once the Imperial Ambassador, and yes I was sent here by my own desire of vengeance to eliminate and bring down the Dynasties that had forsaken me and left me for dead ..."

Mary Eleanor walked to him, not stopped by her mother she drove her palms to her ears, not able to hear more but he continued and spoke louder this time as he tried to justify himself to her.

"... Your family did something to the entire world that is unforgivable, they left me for dead and took all of my dignity, when I emerged from the tower of London everything that had been Eustace Chapuys had died, and in his place came this you see here. I thought that it would be easier if I used you as my pawn against your family, but I never thought that I would fall for the most naive and beautiful person that I met."

Mary Eleanor opened her eyes and looked directly at him, feeling completely cheated. She had given herself to this man, to this stranger , she had given him his heart, her trust! And for what? To learn that she had been nothing but a tool, a means to an end?

"You ... you lied to me, you lied to me!"

"I understand that if you hate me for the rest of your life for what I did, but know that I had a good reason. Your family killed many, and they still do, they are a cancer, they justify massacres because they call it the will of God and civilization"

"You ... I loved you ... I gave myself to you" She whispered hoarsely. She felt her knees buckle, however she stopped them from falling, she would not appear weak in front of him. In spite of all that he did to break her, he would not give him the satisfcation of it. She looked up at him and opening her mouth to find the right words to describe what she thought of him, so she chose instead to slap him.

"Mary Eleanor!" Her mother yelled but Mary Eleanor ignored her pleas. She did not, she had grabbed the rest of the sheets on her bed covering herself, and ran to one of the many guest rooms that was next to hers.

She sunk to her knees once inside with her head buried in them. She cursed herself for being so stupid, for acting so foolish, for letting lust and love take control over her. Why? Why had she allowed him to deflower her? Where was her self respect?

All of these were her mother's words, words that she hated but words that were all true. She had risked everything for someone who was not worth it, a title, crown, wealth and position for what -for love?

Nothing would be the same, she would never be wanted by any Prince in Europe after THIS!

Curse him, curse Eustace and curse her mother for having revealed the truth!


	23. Rumminations

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait.**

**REVIEW!**

**~Marcela Narcissa**

* * *

"Are you happy now?" She demanded flinging her hand to strike Eustace Chapuys. He had ruined her perfect life in Germany, he had come very close to crumbling the Empire she worked very hard to built with her husband by stirring up revolt and on top of all, he had ruined her daughter!

"You are the person responsible for her pain milady not I" He emphasized on the I. Mary Eleanor, he was glad that Mary had discovered them, she had only been a brick in the wall. In a way he had the German Queen to thank for, otherwise he would have fallen sickly in love with that arrogant girl.

Eustace flinched at the second blow he received. He had not felt anything when Mary hit him now, but when it had been her daughter, he had felt a greater pain and disappointment at her. Almost as if she had betrayed him. He had set aside his plans for revenge for her. She had stalled his hatred, gotten in the way of his schemes, he was even considering giving everything up just for her. To make her his, became his new objective, but when that palm striked him he let all his hopes for what they had die.

A perfect replica of her. It was the only reason why he had fallen (if you consider love, what he had done to her precious Mary Eleanor!) for the Princess.

There were other reasons besides that. Eustace had seen in Mary Eleanor what he had once loved and held dear. His lady, his English and to what he secretly still considered, the true Princess and Tudor rose, Mary Tudor. But there was something else about Mary Eleanor that drove Eustace to fall madly in love with her.  
She was beautiful, just like her mother in every physical way, but spiritually she possessed an inner beauty that whenever he looked into her dark blue eyes, it was like he stared directly into the gates of heaven and that stare haunted him. Because it reminded him of the place he could never go.

"You ... you deflowered my daughter, her hopes for becoming Queen of England might as well be squashed thanks to you. All this time I had been rearing her up, taking care so she would one day ascend and take back the throne that should have been mine. She was to bear England true heirs and you ruined it! You made a whore out of her!"

"She is no more whore than you for whoring around with that Duke!"

"That Duke is now King of Germany and one of the most powerful men in all Europe!"

It was foolish for him to think that he and Mary (Eleanor) would have made possible eternal happiness for themselves. She was a Princess, the enemy and he was the man who would be responsible for destroying her country, her charitable enterprise. Hell, he was even ready to take down the western European empire and the colonies they controlled, as long as there was a Tudor on each throne, in which this case to their misfortune, there was.

He was not a good man, he never pretended to be one. He didn't care at this point what Mary or all the rest of her bloody family thought of him, but Mary Eleanor was a different story.

He gathered all his clothes. Mary did not turn a blind eye, she was not going to let him leave. She put herself in front of the door and waited for him to dress.

When he finished he turned back at her. "Does Your Majesty want an apology?" He said showing her a mock reverence.

Eustace smirked watching her gaze shift from disgust to hatred. "You will have nothing from me milady. I know you. I know your schemes, I know your family, I know what all of your lot have done and never have I felt more fueled by my hatred for you"

She raised an eyebrow and clapped her hands with mock praise for his bold words "You have come a long way since all your master planning?"

"Is there a question here because I don't have time to play your games anymore LADY Mary" He watched her eyebrows narrow in dismay and her lower lip twitch. He had hit a nerve there but he did not care anymore for her humors. She had left him to die, she forgot about him. He was just a servant, why should she have troubled herself over his memory, over whether he lived, died or suffered an eternity in hell for his sins against "Queen" Anne? She had given up the fight for her mother's throne. She had yielded to her father's wishes, and while he was dying in the tower of London, growing madder each day, she lay plotting on what her future would be if she accepted Queen Anne as the true Queen and her mother as having been nothing more than the King's sister, and she a bastard.

He had given up everything, his reputation, his life, his soul for her!

He made sure she knew all of this, now that she had botched up his plans.

"You took my most precious' daughter's gift Excellency! Her innocence! How do you think I would react? That I would welcome you with open arms or better yet, that if I would not have discovered you, and you had married her, England would want an alliance with us?"

"I could care less about England now!" England was a sunken ship, it would fall to the bottom of the sea, he would make sure of it.

"Ha! _-laughter-_ You really understimate Good King Hal. Do you really believe that Lord Walsingham does not know already what you up to? He knows things Excellency, and he has spies everywhere, if he does not know he will very soon, now that he is on his way here"

"I have dealt with men worse than him, in any case your lot is finished hollow Queen"

She balled her fists and tighten them more. "How dare you?" She advanced to him and was ready to smack him again, but he was faster this time and caught her arm and restrained her making it impossible to move.

"Are you proud?" He raised his voice "Answer me- do you feel proud of breaking your daughter's dreams?"

"I could not let her ruin her life, I could not let you spoil my plans. The throne got robbed from one cruel act of fate, because you always failed, because of your impulsive nature. My Mary will have everything that was denied to me! This is what I have been preparing her all these years!" She bellowed.

He shook his head and let her go.

Mary brought her hands to her forehead and rubbed her temples. Frustration was found as she spoke "Now what are you going to do? You have no one to support you. I have compromised your identity, I can bring you down and my Mary -you delivered her straight into my hands. Now she will never doubt my words about who to trust anymore ... I guess I should thank you for that. You have done what me and Philip could never do"

When Eustace said nothing, she continued "I will do everything to assure my daughter's future, and my family's. Now leave now Excellency and never return to this house or you will know worse things than death" she hissed.

He walked past her and exit the door putting his hat, as he walked past Mary's door he stopped hearing her cries being raised. She had become aware of his presence.

* * *

Mary wrapped the bed sheets around her tighter and rocked herself to sleep, but sleep never came.

What a fool she'd been to fall for the opportunistic Duke! No, her mind said, not a Duke but a cheater and a liar, he had disguised himself as a Duke when he was really nothing more than a mere Ambassador, barely a gentleman. He was cheap bronze next to her. It was her compassionate self that made her grow closer to Eustace Rolf, or Chapuys. She guessed she should use that last name now, she had no choice otherwise her mind would make her go crazier.

Damn me, she thought. How could I have been so stupid?

She heard him knock, she knew it was him -who else would do that heavy knocking and be so bold about it?

"Go away!" She yelled, her black curls she pushed them in front of her face to cover her own tears and shame.

Her insides hurt a lot. She never felt this hurt, this disgusting. It was like a huge hole had been punched in her chest and it was not only that. Deep where she had allowed him to be deflowered, she felt something watery and gooey and for some reason it was making her feel sick and dizzy. She felt the entire room spinning and before she knew it she fell from the bed and her body hit the ground.


End file.
